The role of therapeutic alliance in network therapy: a family and peer support-based treatment for cocaine abuse.
The therapeutic alliance is a well-studied construct factor that is important to outcome in many forms of individual therapy. Therapeutic alliance has been rarely studied in group therapy and results in addiction treatment have been mixed. In this paper, we studied the presence of a therapeutic alliance in Network Therapy: an approach that uses peer and family support in addiction treatment. Twenty-one participants undergoing Network Therapy for cocaine addiction were observed on videotape, and were rated on therapeutic alliance using the Working Alliance Inventory and the Penn Helping Alliance Rating Scale. Results showed a significant positive correlation between therapeutic alliance and outcome as measured by the percentage of cocaine-free urine toxicology screens and by eight consecutive cocaine-free urines.
Glazer
Samuel S
SS
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA.
Galanter
Marc
M
Megwinoff
Olga
O
Dermatis
Helen
H
Keller
Daniel S
DS
D000328:Adult; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome