Among the many predictors of good outcome in therapy, none is more powerful than the relationship between client and therapist (Safran & Muran, 2000). Put simply, without a strong enough relationship, or therapeutic alliance, the client and therapist cannot do meaningful and effective work.
Goldsmith, J. (2012). Rupture-repair events in couple therapy: An exploration of the prevalence of sudden drops in couple therapy alliance, and their impacts on therapy progress. (Unpublished dissertation). Miami University, Oxford OH.
Hogue, A., Dauber, S., Stambaugh, L. F., Cecero, J. J., & Liddle, H. A. (2006). Early therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in individual and family therapy for adolescent behavior problems. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 121-129.
Kivlighan, D. M., & Shaughnessy, P. (2000). Patterns of working alliance development: A typology of client’s working alliance ratings. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 362-371.
Martin, D. J., Garske, J. P., & Davis, M. K. (2000). Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(3), 438-450.
Pinsof, W. M. (1995). Integrative Problem-Centered Therapy: A synthesis of family, individual, and biological therapies. Basic Books Inc, New York, N.Y.
Pinsof, W. M., Zinbarg, R. E., Lebow, J. L. , Knobloch-Fedders, L. M., Durbin, E., Chambers, A., Latta, T., Karam, E., Goldsmith, J., & Friedman, G. (2009). Laying the foundation for progress research in family, couple, and individual therapy: The development and psychometric features of the initial systemic therapy inventory of change. Psychotherapy Research, 19(2), 143-156.
Safran, J. D., & Muran, J. C. (2000). Negotiating the therapeutic alliance: A relational treatment guide. Guilford Press, New York, N.Y.
Stevens, C. L., Muran, J. C., Safran, J. D., Gorman, B. S., & Winston, A. (2007). Levels and patterns of the therapeutic alliance in brief psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 61, 109-129.
Stiles, W. B., Glick, M. J., Osatuke, K., Hardy, G. E., Shapiro, D. A., Agnew- Davies, R. et al. (2004). Patterns of alliance development and the rupture-repair hypothesis: Are productive relationships U-shaped or V-shaped? Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51, 81-92.