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Youth therapeutic alliance in intensive treatment settings

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Abstract

Therapeutic alliance (TA), the helping relationship that develops between a client and clinician, has received little attention in child treatment studies until recently, though it is the factor found to be most predictive of clinical outcomes. Furthermore, TA is cited as one of the most important components to effective therapy according to practicing clinicians. This study examines the TA that develops between teacher/counselors and children in 2 settings, a partial hospital/day school and a wilderness camp. An important finding in this study is the lack of relationship between the teacher/counselor's view of TA and the youth's view. Moreover, this correlation does not improve according to how long the counselors have known or have treated the youth. The implications of this and other findings are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Mental Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, 1207 18th Ave S, 37212, Nashville, TN

    Leonard Bickman PhD (Director), Ana Regina Vides de Andrade PhD (Research Associate), E. Warren Lambert PhD (Senior Research Analyst), Ann Doucette PhD (Senior Research Associate) & Jeff Sapyta MS (Predoctoral Fellow)

  2. the Department of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC.

    A. Suzanne Boyd MSW, PhD (Assistant Professor)

  3. Pressley Ridge Schools, Pittsburgh, Pa.

    David T. Rumberger MS (Assistant Director of Research), Joycelynn Moore-Kurnot BS, Luke C. McDonough MS (Program Director) & Mary Beth Rauktis PhD (LCSW, Director of Research)

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  1. Leonard Bickman PhD
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  2. Ana Regina Vides de Andrade PhD
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  3. E. Warren Lambert PhD
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Correspondence to Leonard Bickman PhD.

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Bickman, L., Vides de Andrade, A.R., Warren Lambert, E. et al. Youth therapeutic alliance in intensive treatment settings. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research 31, 134–148 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02287377

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