Alliance negotiation as a predictor of early treatment outcome

MANUBENS, ROCÍO TAMARA; BABL, ANNA; DORAN, JENNIFER; ROUSSOS, ANDRÉS; ALALU, NICOLÁS; GÓMEZ PENEDO, JUAN MARTÍN

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

WILEY

Lugar: New York; Año: 2023

0021-9762

Aim: The therapeutic alliance is a robust predictor oftreatment outcome. However, little is known about theway alliance negotiation contributes to psychotherapyoutcome. The aim of the present study was to analyzethe effects of alliance negotiation on treatment outcome inthe first four sessions of psychotherapy.Methods: Ninety‐six patients diagnosed with emotionaldisorders received weekly Solution‐Focused Brief Therapy.Each patient completed both the Alliance NegotiationScale (ANS) and the Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ.45)after each of the first four sessions. Both between‐ andwithin‐patients effects of alliance negotiation on symptomseverity were analyzed using Hierarchical Linear Models.Results: Results showed significant between and withinpatient effects of alliance negotiation on symptom severity.Patients with higher levels of alliance negotiation acrosstreatment showed lower levels of symptom severity(between‐patient effect). Also, in a session with higheralliance negotiation compared to the average session ofthis patient, symptom severity was lower than in theaverage session (within‐patient effect).