Abstract
This study examined the association between the therapeutic alliance and behavioral/emotional outcomes in 350 youth receiving outpatient therapy at a community mental health clinic. Constructs of interest were measured at intake, 3 week, 2 month, 4 month and 6 month intervals. Results indicated that early therapeutic alliance ratings were not related to premature termination. Problem type was related to the formation of the alliance only at the three week time point. A relationship between age of the client and the formation of a therapeutic alliance was true only at the 6 month time point. Finally, therapist’s ratings of the alliance were not correlated with psychotherapy outcome. These findings indicate that further work is needed to understand associations between therapeutic alliance and youth treatment outcomes.
Highlights
Introduction to Literature ReviewThe therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy has been an area of interest for clinicians and researchers for decades (Gaston, 1990; Horvath & Symonds, 1991; Marmar et al, 1986; Martin, Garske & Davis, 2000)
The therapeutic alliance has been consistently demonstrated to be an influential factor in the outcome of adult treatment (Horvath, 2001; Horvath & Symonds, 1991; Martin, Garske, & Davis, 2000; Orlinsky, Grawe, & Parks, 1994; Puschner et al, 2005)
In examining the studies which examined the therapeutic alliance, a correlation of .24 was found between the quality of the childtherapist alliance and therapy outcome (Kazdin Whitley, & Marciano, 2006; Shirk & Karver, 2003). These results suggest that the variance in treatment outcomes accounted for by the therapeutic alliance is comparable for adult and child/adolescent populations, it is unclear to what extent adult research on the therapeutic alliance is generalizable to child and adolescent psychotherapy (Kazdin, Whitley, Marciano, 2006)
Summary
Introduction to Literature ReviewThe therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy has been an area of interest for clinicians and researchers for decades (Gaston, 1990; Horvath & Symonds, 1991; Marmar et al, 1986; Martin, Garske & Davis, 2000). The therapeutic alliance is considered to be a common factor found in most mental health treatments and does not rely on a specific diagnosis or theory (Bickman et al, 2004; DeVet, Young, & Charlot-Swilley, 2003). For this reason the strength of the relationship between the client and the therapist is a universal concern. You are being invited to participate because you are a therapist of one or more VMH clients who have consented to participate in this study
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