title: The working alliance as a model for interdisciplinary collaboration.
abstract: Rehabilitation and health care researchers are increasingly called upon to examine contemporary disability issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to (a) borrow from the counseling literature to introduce the working alliance, a model developed by Bordin [1] to facilitate positive therapeutic relationships; and (b) to discuss its application to interdisciplinary research. The authors, who represent the fields of nursing, rehabilitation, and health communication, describe characteristics of the working alliance and draw upon their experiences to illustrate the key components of effective working alliances (bonds, goals, and tasks). We also introduce strategies for resolving disagreements and conclude the article with a discussion regarding the multiple rewards that can be acquired from interdisciplinary research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Foundations and Special Services, Center for Disability Studies, Kent State University, 405 White Hall, Kent, OH 44242-0001, USA. lkoch@kent.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Nichole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Egbert
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Coeling
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D014481:United States