The therapeutic alliance in behavior therapy.

Abstract

It may be argued that behavior therapy has proceeded with minimal regard for the therapeutic alliance (TA) as a key mechanism of change. However, ignoring the role of TA in behavior therapy may not only be problematic on a practical level, but also may be inconsistent with basic principles that underlie behavior therapy. In beginning to address these issues, the authors consider the role of TA in behavior therapy with a focus on relevant basic principles. Keeping a focus on these basic principles, the authors then outline three contemporary behavior therapies that already incorporate a focus on the therapeutic relationship and conclude with a clinical case illustration.