Research on the alliance is reviewed in a historic context. Different conceptualizations of the nature and role of the alliance are examined within the framework of theories about the role and function of the relationship in treatment. The evolution of these concepts is cast in the broader context of the current debate concerning an appropriate conceptual framework for empirically supported therapy. Using these perspectives, several persistent challenges are highlighted: the need to develop a clearer definition of the alliance; the challenge of reaching a broad consensus about the alliance's relation to other elements in the therapeutic relationship; and the task of more clearly specifying the role and function of the alliance in different phases of treatment. The paper concludes with an examination of how such a historically informed perspective might offer useful indicators for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).
The relationship between hyperactive behavior and children's perceptions of teachers' behavior was investigated. Particular attention was paid to two aspects of teacher behavior—acceptance and demand. An extensive literature review supported the position of viewing hyperactive behavior from a situational and an interactional perspective. The literature also indicated that children's behavior is affected by their perceptions of adult behavior. The subjects were 92 boys enrolled in 8 regular elementary school classrooms. Children's perceptions of acceptance and demand in their teacher's behavior were measured by administering a partial form of the Teacher Behavior Questionnaire to classroom groups. Observed levels of hyperactive behavior were measured by having the subjects' teachers complete the Conners Abbreviated Questionnaire for each boy. Using correlational analyses, hyperactive behavior was found to be significantly related to both variables in the directions of less perceived acceptance and greater perceived demand. The combination of these two measures accounted for 16% of the variance between hyperactivity and student perception of teacher behavior. On group comparison measures, hyperactive boys perceived significantly less acceptance and greater demand than did their nonhyperactive peers.
In this essay I explore Jeremy Safran’s intellectual career as a hero’s journey or monomyth within the specific context of psychotherapy research. I argue that he fits such model in the sense that his work – though deeply informed by theories – was singularly focused and driven by his own sense of his role and mission within the profession. Rather than attempting to review in detail the entire scope or specific parts of his research contributions, I look at his scholarship as a kind of quest, a pursuit that was trans-theoretical but unified by foundational questions about the unique nature of the relationship between therapist and patient.
The alliance is widely recognized as a robust predictor of posttreatment outcomes. However, there is a debate regarding whether the alliance is an epiphenomenon of intake characteristics and/or treatment processes occurring over the course of treatment. This meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the evidence on this issue. We identified 125 effect sizes in 60 independent samples (6,061 participants) of studies that reported alliance-outcome correlations as well as parallel intake or process characteristics. We examined the impact of these potential confounds on the alliance-outcome correlations. We meta-analyzed the studies estimates by computing omnibus effects models as well as multivariate models. We identified 3 variable types that were used to adjust the alliance-outcome correlations: (a) intake characteristics (k = 35); (b) simultaneous processes, such as adherence or competence (k = 13); and (c) both intake and simultaneous processes (k = 24). We found moderate alliance-outcome correlations with or without adjustments for intake and simultaneous processes (range from r = .23 to r = .31). Our results provide robust empirical evidence for the assertion that the alliance-outcome association is an independent process-based factor. Findings suggest that alliance is positively related to outcome above and beyond the studied patient intake characteristics and treatment processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
The place of the therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy research is presented in a historical framework, followed by a brief review of the major research themes within this topic and a review of what is covered in this special section. Some of the strengths of this body of work, as well as the potential challenges arising out of the re-emergence of the alliance as a pan-theoretical concept capturing the relational dynamics of therapy, are discussed. Recommendations for renewing the empirical–conceptual dialogue on what constitutes the therapeutic relationship in different therapeutic contexts and different phases of therapy are provided. Therapeutische Beziehung: Forschung und Theorie Die therapeutische Beziehung wird in einem historischen Rahmen behandelt, gefolgt durch eine Kurzübersicht der wichtigsten Forschungsthemen in diesem Bereich und eine Übersicht zu den Themen dieses Doppelheftes. Einige starke Punkte dieser Arbeiten werden diskutiert, ebenso wie die möglichen Herausforderungen einer wiedererwachten Auffassung von Allianz als pantheoretischem Konzept zur Erfassung der Beziehungsdynamik in der Therapie. Es werden Empfehlungen gegeben zu einer Erneuerung des Empirie-Theoriedialoges, zu dem, was therapeutische Beziehung in verschiedenen therapeutischen Kontexten und verschiedenen Therapiephasen ausmacht. La relation thérapeutique: recherche et théorie La place de la relation thérapeutique dans la recherche en psychothérapie est présentée dans un cadre historique suivi d'une brève revue des thèmes majeurs de la recherche dans ce domaine et d'un résumé de ce qui sera traité dans cette section spéciale. Il sera question des forces de ce corpus de travail ainsi que des défis potentiels émanant de la réémergence de l'alliance comme un concept pan-théorique saisissant la dynamique relationnelle de la thérapie. Des recommandations sont fournies pour un renouveau du dialogue empirique et conceptuel sur ce qui constitue la relation thérapeutique dans des contextes thérapeutiques variés et des phases de thérapie différentes. La relación terapéutica. Investigación y teoría Se presenta un marco histórico para ubicar el lugar de la relación terapéutica en la investigación en psicoterapia, seguido de una breve revista de los temas principales de investigación dentro de este tópico y de una revisión de lo que se aborda en esta sección especial. Se debate sobre algunos de los puntos fuertes de estos estudios, a la par que se señala el desafío potencial que surge de la reemergencia de la alianza como concepto pan-teórico que rige la relación dinámica de la terapia. Se dan recomendaciones para renovar el diálogo empírico-conceptual en lo referente a la relación terapéutica en diferentes fases y contextos terapéuticos de la terapia. A relação terapêutica: Investigação e teoria É apresentado o lugar da relação terapêutica na investigação em psicoterapia num perspectiva histórica, seguido de uma revisão breve dos principais temas de investigação ligados ao tópico e uma revisão daquilo que é abordado nesta secção especial. São discutidos alguns dos pontos fortes deste corpo de trabalho, bem como os potenciais desafios que resultam da re-emergência da aliança como conceito pan-teórico que capta a natureza relacional da terapia. São fornecidas recomendações para a renovação do diálogo conceptual em que consiste a relação terapêutica em diferentes contextos terapêuticos e diferentes fases da terapia. La relazione terapeutica: ricerca e teoria Attraverso un excursus storico viene presentato il ruolo della relazione terapeutica nella ricerca in psicoterapia; segue una breve revisione dei temi principali di ricerca all'interno di quest'ambito e degli argomenti trattati in questa sezione speciale. Sono discussi i punti di forza di questo lavoro come pure le potenziali sfide nate dal riemergere dell'alleanza come concetto panteoretico che cattura le dinamiche relazionali in terapia. Vengono fornite indicazioni per rinnovare il dibattito empirico/concettuale su che cosa costituisce la relazione terapeutica nei differenti contesti terapeutici e nelle differenti fasi della terapia.
Two therapists each provided 2 clients time-limited (10 sessions each) therapies. These were examined to discover relations between (a) clients' understanding of therapists' intentions and episode level outcome, (b) similarities and differences between the participants' valuing of different intentions, and (c) shifts in intentions valued from the beginning to the terminal phases of therapy. By using therapists' segmentation of sessions into episodes and a computerized Counselor Intention List, some positive relations between clients' understanding of counselor intention and episode impact were documented. Differences were found between therapists' and clients' valued intentions as were systematic shifts in valued intentions from beginning to end phases of therapy.
