Chaturvidha Bhakta as Client Need Orientation: Toward a Psychotherapeutic Framework from the Bhagavad Gita

Abstract

The Chaturvidha Bhakta Framework was conceptualized as a psychotherapeutic model inspired by the Bhagavad Gita’s typology of seekers such as Ārtaḥ (Distress-Oriented), Arthārthī (Goal-Oriented), Jijñāsuḥ (Inquiry-Oriented), and Jñānī (Wisdom-Oriented). This study aimed to empirically validate the framework through expert evaluation and inter-rater reliability analysis. Twenty clinical vignettes representing diverse client contexts were rated independently by two coders and reviewed by four experts for clarity, relevance, and utility. Inter-rater reliability analysis revealed near-perfect agreement (Cohen’s κ = 0.97), while expert ratings demonstrated strong content validity (I-CVI = 0.75–1.00, κ* = 0.67–1.00). Confidence ratings indicated high agreement (M = 2.96, SD = 0.25) with 88.7% of responses rated as “High” or “Very High.” The findings suggest that the Chaturvidha Bhakta Framework provides a reliable, culturally grounded model for classifying client orientations in psychotherapy. Its structure reflects a continuum of psychological and spiritual growth—from distress regulation to wisdom integration—making it both diagnostically useful and therapeutically enriching.