Psychotherapists’ perspectives on the quality of psychological services for cancer patients in Riyadh: A predictive study

Introduction: Psychological services play a vital role in supporting cancer patients, yet their quality is influenced by provider-related factors that remain underexplored. Objective: The objective of this study was to predict the quality of psychological services provided to cancer patients in Riyadh from the perspective of psychotherapists and to assess the predictive value of key variables within the target group. Methods: A questionnaire assessing communication skills scale and psychotherapist competence was completed by 329 psychotherapists. Results: Our findings revealed that the highest mean score was observed for the empathy dimension (54.20), whereas respect and authenticity recorded the lowest mean score (19.28). The overall quality of psychological services had a mean score of 174.88 ± 9.53. Regarding the psychotherapist self-efficacy scale, clinical competence recorded the highest mean (20.41), whereas influence regulation had the lowest mean score (7.95). The total score for psychotherapist competence was 79.33. Predictive analysis revealed that the workplace and academic level of psychotherapists were statistically significant predictors of service quality (p<0.05). The independent variables accounted for 41% of the variance in psychotherapist competence and 16% of the variance in communication skills with patients, indicating an overall weak predictive relationship. Conclusion: Clinical practice implications should be considered. The identified predictors—communication skills, workplace, and academic level—may guide future efforts to enhance therapeutic approaches. Focusing on improving empathy and emotional regulation could further strengthen the quality of psychological care for cancer patients. Further studies are encouraged to translate these findings into practical clinical strategies.