“Close to the Problem” or “Close to Your Problem”? The Contribution of Bond to the Structure of Early and Advanced Therapeutic Alliance

Abstract

The study analyzed the contribution of bond in the structure of the therapeutic alliance. Results were reported for two stages of the psychotherapeutic process: early and advanced. The study included 415 psychotherapist–patient dyads in the process of individual psychotherapy. Alliance estimation was based on Bordin’s model of alliance. The hypothesis was tested through structural equation modeling analysis. In both the early and advanced phases of psychotherapy, patient–therapist bond made a large contribution to the structure of the alliance, similar to that of the remaining two components: goals and tasks. The results indicate that bond is a crucial and permanent element in the structure of the relationship in the psychotherapeutic dyad, regardless of the stage of the process. In the advanced phase, the distance in weight between bond and the remaining two dimensions of alliance is minimal. The contribution of bond to the alliance structure as high as the contributions of goals and tasks signals not only the importance of understanding the patient’s problem but also the importance of mutual trust and respect.