IMPACT OF MARITAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS ON THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE IN COUPLES UNDERGOING COUPLE THERAPY

2005 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salima Mamodhoussen ◽  
John Wright ◽  
Nadine Tremblay ◽  
Hélène Poitras-Wright
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Couple Therapy

scholarly journals Therapeutic alliance and progress in couple therapy: multiple perspectives

2010 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Glebova ◽  
Suzanne Bartle-Haring ◽  
Rashmi Gangamma ◽  
Michael Knerr ◽  
Robin Ostrom Delaney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Couple Therapy ◽  
Multiple Perspectives

scholarly journals Studying Nonverbal Synchrony in Couple Therapy—Observing Implicit Posture and Movement Synchrony

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Nyman-Salonen ◽  
Anu Tourunen ◽  
Virpi-Liisa Kykyri ◽  
Markku Penttonen ◽  
Jukka Kaartinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Couple Therapy ◽  
Therapy Process ◽  
Joint Effort ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Movement Synchrony ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Nonverbal Synchrony

AbstractResearch on nonverbal synchrony (movement coordination) in psychotherapy has recently attracted increased attention. Nonverbal synchrony has been shown to relate to the therapeutic alliance and outcome. However, research on nonverbal synchrony in couple therapy remains scarce. In this study, we examined the therapy process of one couple in detail and created a coding scheme to depict posture and movement synchrony. In this case study, we found that the relationship between nonverbal synchrony and the therapeutic alliance was complex. During the therapy process, the amount of nonverbal synchrony varied, as did the participants’ evaluations of the alliance. In couple therapy nonverbal synchrony could affect both the persons involved in it and the persons observing it. In one of the sessions, almost all the synchronies occurred between the female client and one of the therapists, and all except the female client evaluated the alliance to be weaker. In this case study, there were two therapists present, and the co-therapists’ synchrony was found to be important for the male client’s evaluations of the alliance. When there was more synchrony between the therapists, he evaluated the alliance to be stronger. Interestingly, the co-therapists’ synchrony seemed to peak in sessions that succeeded sessions with a weaker alliance, as if the therapists were implicitly making a joint effort to strengthen the alliance. A short episode from one session is given to illustrate the findings. Our coding scheme enables studying nonverbal synchrony (posture and movement synchrony) in couple therapy and combining the research results to other temporally precise data obtained from the sessions. More research is needed to validate the method.

The Formation of the Therapeutic Alliance in Couple Therapy

2004 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders ◽  
William M. Pinsof ◽  
Barton J. Mann
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Couple Therapy

scholarly journals Development of the therapeutic alliance and its association with treatment outcome in internet-based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (eMBCT) compared to group-based MBCT (MBCT) for distressed cancer patients (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Else Bisseling ◽  
Linda Cillessen ◽  
Philip Spinhoven ◽  
Melanie Schellekens ◽  
Félix Compen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Treatment Dropout ◽  
Mental Well Being

BACKGROUND Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based group-based psychological treatment in oncology, resulting in reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Internet-based Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (eMBCT) has been found to be an effective alternative for MBCT. The therapeutic alliance, i.e. the bond between therapist and patient, is known to have a significant impact on psychological treatment outcomes, including MBCT. A primary concern in the practice of eMBCT is whether a good therapeutic alliance can develop. Although evidence for the beneficial effect of therapist-assistance on treatment outcome in internet-based interventions (IBIs) is accumulating, it is still unclear whether the therapeutic alliance is related to outcome in IBIs. OBJECTIVE The objectives of the present study were: (1) to explore whether early therapeutic alliance predicts treatment dropout in (e)MBCT; (2) to compare the development of the therapeutic alliance during eMBCT and MBCT; and (3) to examine whether early therapeutic alliance is a predictor of the reduction of psychological distress and the increase of mental well-being at post-treatment in both conditions. METHODS The present study was part of a multicentre randomized controlled trial (RCT; n=245) on the effectiveness of (e)MBCT for distressed cancer patients. The therapeutic alliance was measured at the start of week 2 (i.e. early therapeutic alliance), week 5 and week 9. Outcome measures were psychological distress, measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and mental-wellbeing, measured with the Mental Health Coninuum-short form (MHC-SF). RESULTS The strength of early therapeutic alliance did not predict treatment dropout in (e)MBCT (B=-0.39, p=.21). Therapeutic alliance increased over time in both conditions (F=16.46,Wilks’ λ=.732, p<.001). This increase did not differ between eMBCT and MBCT (F=0.114, p=.74). Therapeutic alliance at week 2 predicted a reduction of psychological distress (B=-.126, t=-2.656, p=.01) and an increase of in mental well-being (B=.234, t=2.651, p=.01) at post-treatment. The relationship with reduction of psychological distress differed between treatments: a weaker early therapeutic alliance predicted higher psychological distress at post-treatment in MBCT but not in eMBCT(B=.217, t=2.261, p=.03). CONCLUSIONS A therapeutic alliance can develop in both eMBCT and MBCT. Findings revealed that the strength of early alliance did not predict treatment dropout. Furthermore, the level of therapeutic alliance predicted reduced psychological distress and increased mental well-being at post-treatment in both conditions. Interestingly, the strength of therapeutic alliance is appeared to be more related to treatment outcome in group-based MBCT than in eMBCT. CLINICALTRIAL NCT02138513 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02138513

scholarly journals Development of the Therapeutic Alliance and its Association With Internet-Based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Distressed Cancer Patients: Secondary Analysis of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/14065 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. e14065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Else Bisseling ◽  
Linda Cillessen ◽  
Philip Spinhoven ◽  
Melanie Schellekens ◽  
Félix Compen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Treatment Dropout ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Mental Well Being

Background Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based group-based psychological treatment in oncology, resulting in reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) has been found to be an effective alternative for MBCT. The therapeutic alliance (the bond between therapist and patient,) is known to have a significant impact on psychological treatment outcomes, including MBCT. A primary concern in the practice of eMBCT is whether a good therapeutic alliance can develop. Although evidence for the beneficial effect of therapist assistance on treatment outcome in internet-based interventions (IBIs) is accumulating, it is still unclear whether the therapeutic alliance is related to outcome in IBIs. Objective This study aimed to (1) explore whether early therapeutic alliance predicts treatment dropout in MBCT or eMBCT, (2) compare the development of the therapeutic alliance during eMBCT and MBCT, and (3) examine whether early therapeutic alliance is a predictor of the reduction of psychological distress and the increase of mental well-being at posttreatment in both conditions. Methods This study was part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial (n=245) on the effectiveness of MBCT or eMBCT for distressed cancer patients. The therapeutic alliance was measured at the start of week 2 (ie, early therapeutic alliance), week 5, and week 9. Outcome measures were psychological distress, measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and mental well-being, measured with the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. Results The strength of early therapeutic alliance did not predict treatment dropout in MBCT or eMBCT (B=−.39; P=.21). Therapeutic alliance increased over time in both conditions (F2,90=16.46; Wilks λ=0.732; P<.001). This increase did not differ between eMBCT and MBCT (F1,91=0.114; P=.74). Therapeutic alliance at week 2 predicted a decrease in psychological distress (B=−.12; t114=−2.656; P=.01) and an increase in mental well-being (B=.23; t113=2.651; P=.01) at posttreatment. The relationship with reduction of psychological distress differed between treatments: a weaker early therapeutic alliance predicted higher psychological distress at posttreatment in MBCT but not in eMBCT (B=.22; t113=2.261; P=.03). Conclusions A therapeutic alliance can develop in both eMBCT and MBCT. Findings revealed that the strength of early alliance did not predict treatment dropout. Furthermore, the level of therapeutic alliance predicted reduced psychological distress and increased mental well-being at posttreatment in both conditions. Interestingly, the strength of therapeutic alliance appeared to be more related to treatment outcome in group-based MBCT than in eMBCT. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02138513; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02138513

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