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Therapist characteristics influencing the quality of alliance in long‐term psychotherapy
Author(s) -
Hersoug Anne Grete,
Høglend Per,
Havik Odd,
von der Lippe Anna,
Monsen Jon
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/cpp.605
Subject(s) - alliance , psychology , psychotherapist , interpersonal communication , session (web analytics) , clinical psychology , interpersonal relationship , quality (philosophy) , social psychology , philosophy , epistemology , world wide web , political science , computer science , law
This study explored therapist characteristics associated with the development of working alliance in long‐term therapies, up to 120 sessions. The quality of working alliance was rated by both patients ( n = 201) and therapists ( n = 61) at sessions 3, 12, 20 and every 20th successive session. Therapists' self‐reported scores on the ‘cold/detached’ dimension of Inventory of Interpersonal Problems‐64 tapping therapists' interpersonal style, such as being distanced, disconnected or indifferent, had a negative impact on the working alliance as rated both by patients and therapists. More professional training was associated with poorer quality of working alliance, as rated by patients. A trend indicated that more experienced therapists rated the alliance lower at all sessions. Therapists' report of better maternal care up to their adolescence had a positive impact on patients' rating of alliance. Clinical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.