title: The interaction of the alliance and therapy microprocess: a sequential analysis.
abstract: The interaction of the working alliance with the therapy microprocess was explored in a sequential analytic study of brief therapy (N = 32). The alliance was largely formed within the first session and was most associated with a mutual emotional engagement process. Thereafter, log-linear modeling revealed marked alliance-related and primarily phase-specific effects on the therapy microprocesses. The alliance was associated with differing patterns of therapy activities, topics, emotions, and verbal content. High-alliance midtherapy displayed more of an alternating pattern of therapist-patient emotional engagement, although therapists also appeared to take greater charge in midtherapy. High-alliance patients were generally more emotionally engaged and responded with less dejection to therapists. The alliance-dependent differences in verbal content appeared to be secondary, with the most obvious negative effects of low-alliance levels appearing in midtherapy. Apparently, the high- and low-alliance therapies developed somewhat differently, a factor that may need to be considered in constructing theories of therapeutic change.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Research Center, Asgård Hospital, Tromsø Norway.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sexton
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hembre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kvarme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods