Associations between working alliance and outcome in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and brief interpersonal therapy

Abstract

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT; de Shazer & Berg, 1997) is rapidly becoming an accepted form of counseling. However, critics of SFBT point to little empirical evidence of effectiveness and to its emphasis on pursuing goals at the expense of the therapeutic relationship. Because the therapeutic relationship is considered crucial for brief interpersonal therapy (BIT), this study compared the relationship between working alliance and outcome for 26 SFBT clients and 38 BIT clients. Results indicated that although both therapies produced significant positive changes in psychological distress and client satisfaction, the working alliance was associated with positive changes only for BIT. Also, anticipated differences in working alliance bonds were not present between the SFBT and BIT approaches. Die Verbindung zwischen Arbeitsbeziehung und dem Therapieergebnis in losungs-fokussierter Kurztherapie und kurzer interpersonaler Therapie Losungs-fokussierte Kurztherapie (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy [SFBT; de...