PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Two aspects of the therapeutic alliance: Differential relations with depressive symptom change

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, ISSN: 0022-006X, Vol: 79, Issue: 3, Page: 279-283
2011
  • 131
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 247
    Captures
  • 1
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

Most Recent News

The inflammatory hypothesis of depression: implications for diagnosis and practice

  Research is beginning to offer new insights into the physiological mechanisms that underlie the complexities of major depressive disorder (MDD). Additionally, several lines of research

Article Description

Objective: The therapeutic alliance has been linked to symptom change in numerous investigations. Although the alliance is commonly conceptualized as a multidimensional construct, few studies have examined its components separately. The current study explored which components of the alliance are most highly associated with depressive symptom change in cognitive therapy (CT). Method: Data were drawn from 2 published randomized, controlled clinical trials of CT for major depressive disorder (n = 105, mean age = 40 years, female = 62, White = 82). We examined the relations of 2 factor-analytically derived components of the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI; Horvath & Greenberg, 1986, 1989) with symptom change on the Beck Depression Inventory - II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) that occurred either prior to or subsequent to the examined sessions. WAI ratings were obtained at an early and a late session for each therapist-patient dyad. Results: Variation in symptom change subsequent to the early session was significantly related to the WAI factor that assesses therapist-patient agreement on the goals and tasks of therapy but not to a factor assessing the affective bond between therapist and patient. In contrast, both factors, when assessed in a late session, were significantly predicted by prior symptom change. Conclusions: These findings may reflect the importance, in CT, of therapist-patient agreement on the goals and tasks of therapy. In contrast, the bond between therapist and patient may be more of a consequence than a cause of symptom change in CT. The implications of these results and directions for future research are discussed. © 2011 American Psychological Association.

Bibliographic Details

Webb, Christian A; DeRubeis, Robert J; Amsterdam, Jay D; Shelton, Richard C; Hollon, Steven D; Dimidjian, Sona

American Psychological Association (APA)

Psychology; Medicine

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know