title: A paediatric therapeutic alliance occurs with distance intervention.
abstract: We investigated whether a distance therapeutic alliance occurs when children receive manualized, cognitive-behavioural treatment via telephone, in the absence of face-to-face contact. The therapeutic alliance scores were measured in 55 child-parent pairs. The mean total Working Alliance Inventory child scores were 236 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 232, 240) and the mean parent scores were 245 (95% CI: 242, 247). Parent scores were significantly higher than child scores, although the difference may not be clinically meaningful. This study provides evidence that a strong therapeutic alliance does occur between child-coach and parent-coach pairs when treatment is delivered from a distance by non-professionals. The term 'child' encompasses both children and adolescents.
authors.affiliation: IWK Health Centre, 8 Floor, Rm. K8531, PO Box 9700, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 6R8, Canada. patricia.pottie@iwk.nshealth.ca
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lingley-Pottie
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000379:methods; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009674:Nova Scotia; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult