Alliance and symptom improvement in inpatient treatment for eating disorder patients: A study of within-patient processes.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the reciprocal relationship between alliance and symptoms during treatment for patients with eating disorders (ED).


METHODS
Ninety one patients with EDs received inpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment over 14 weeks. The study used repeated measurements during treatment and collected alliance and symptom measures. The analysis separated the effects of alliance and symptoms into between- and within-patient effects in a multilevel analysis.


RESULTS
The results show a reciprocal relationship with between-patient alliance predicting ED symptoms and between-patient ED symptoms predicting alliance the subsequent weeks. However, for within-patient effects only alliance predicted ED symptoms the subsequent week.


CONCLUSIONS
The results nuance the effect of the alliance in this patient group, and paint a complex picture of alliance in the psychotherapy process.
Research Institute of Modum Bad, Vikersund, Norway.
KariAnne R
KR
Vrabel
Research Institute of Modum Bad, Vikersund, Norway.
Pål G
PG
Ulvenes
Research Institute of Modum Bad, Vikersund, Norway.|University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Bruce
B
Wampold
D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013811:Psychotherapeutic Processes; D012107:Research Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome
alliance; eating disorder; inpatient; process research