Therapist characteristics influencing the quality of alliance in long‐term psychotherapy

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.