RATINGS OF THERAPIST DYNAMIC ACTIVITIES AND ALLIANCE EARLY AND LATE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY

The present study examines the concurrent and predictive relationships between therapist psychodynamic-interpersonal activity and therapist-rated alliance. Ratings from 45 patient and therapist dyads engaged in short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy from a point early (3rd or 4th session) and late (the session at which 90% of the treatment was completed) in treatment were used. The results suggest that therapists who have positive views of the alliance early in treatment also have positive views of the alliance later in treatment. Therapists who used psychodynamic-interpersonal activities early in treatment also made use of psychodynamic-interpersonal activities later in treatment. Moreover, the use of psychodynamic-interpersonal activities early in treatment was positively related to both global and specific aspects of therapist-rated alliance late in treatment.