Therapist characteristics influencing the quality of alliance in long-term psychotherapy.
This study explored therapist characteristics associated with the development of working alliance in long-term therapies, up to 120 sessions. The quality of working alliance was rated by both patients (n = 201) and therapists (n = 61) at sessions 3, 12, 20 and every 20th successive session. Therapists' self-reported scores on the 'cold/detached' dimension of Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64 tapping therapists' interpersonal style, such as being distanced, disconnected or indifferent, had a negative impact on the working alliance as rated both by patients and therapists. More professional training was associated with poorer quality of working alliance, as rated by patients. A trend indicated that more experienced therapists rated the alliance lower at all sessions. Therapists' report of better maternal care up to their adolescence had a positive impact on patients' rating of alliance. Clinical implications are discussed.
Hersoug
Anne Grete
AG
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. a.g.hersoug@medisin.uio.no
Høglend
Per
P
Havik
Odd
O
von der Lippe
Anna
A
Monsen
Jon
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult