title: The role of the therapeutic alliance in eating disorder treatment outcomes: a systematic review.
abstract: The therapeutic alliance has proven to be an important construct in psychotherapy outcomes research for numerous psychiatric disorders. Given that dropout rates from treatment are especially high for individuals with eating disorders, it is critical to clarify the role that the therapeutic alliance plays in predicting treatment outcomes for this specific population. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were systematically reviewed for studies that formally measured the therapeutic alliance construct and at least one other treatment variable in the context of eating disorder treatment. We identified 19 studies that indicate the therapeutic alliance may be an important factor in eating disorder treatment, yet reflect on the paucity of research on this topic in the context of treatment outcomes for both adult and adolescent populations. Current trends and limitations in the literature are highlighted to guide future research and ultimately improve clinical outcomes for patients with eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , British Columbia , Canada.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaitsoff
authors.forename: Rachelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pullmer
authors.forename: Maeve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cyr
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aime
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome