Final answer:
Carl Rogers' theory of personality development in client-centered therapy is based on achieving self-actualization and minimizing the gap between the ideal self and the real self, facilitated by the therapist's unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of personality development in client-centered therapy, developed by American psychologist Carl Rogers, revolves around the concept of self-actualization and the growth potential of individuals. Unlike psychoanalytic approaches, this perspective emphasizes the active role of the client in therapy, with the therapist providing unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy. Rogers proposed that individuals have a self-concept that includes the ideal self and the real self, where personality development occurs through achieving congruence between these two aspects of the self. To foster a productive and healthy life, it is crucial to minimize the gap between how one perceives their actual self and their ideal self, aided by receiving unconditional positive regard from important figures such as parents.