Treated together–changed together: The application of dyadic analyses to understand the reciprocal nature of alliances and couple satisfaction over time

Whittaker, Kristoffer; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole André; Tilden, Terje

doi:10.1111/jmft.12595

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Furthermore, male partners may show a lower alliance if they feel pressure to attend couple therapy (Anderson et al, 2020). When female partners perceive a high alliance among male partners and therapists, it may promote a positive treatment outcome (Whittaker et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The therapeutic alliance in couple therapy: Patterns by treatment and sex in a randomized controlled trial of emotionally focused therapy and treatment as usual

et al. 2023

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The formation and development of the therapeutic alliance in couple therapy is a complex process and a key contributor to positive treatment outcomes. This study explored differences in trajectories of therapeutic alliance by sex and treatment condition among 24 couples randomized to receive Emotionally Focused Therapy or treatment as usual. The results identified a curvilinear growth pattern for alliance across both treatment groups. Female partners reported higher alliance than male partners after the first session across treatment groups, and female partners receiving Emotionally Focused Therapy reported higher initial alliance than female partners receiving treatment as usual. The rates of change for alliance did not differ by sex or treatment condition. The implications of the change pattern and differences in alliance formation by sex and treatment are discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The therapeutic alliance in couple therapy: Patterns by treatment and sex in a randomized controlled trial of emotionally focused therapy and treatment as usual

et al. 2023

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“…This finding is in line with research demonstrating that normative assumptions are performed in the context of professional practice (Pawelczyk et al, 2021; Sutherland et al, 2016). We assume that when exclusive identification colonizes the therapist's perception of given interactional episodes of asymmetry, they do not recognize the necessity of collaborating with the entire system as posited by Metcalfe et al (2021) and Whittaker et al (2022). Moreover, therapists may also overlook the risk of compromising multiple alliances as postulated by Friedlander et al (2018) and Friedlander et al (2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

How therapists respond to “uneven” alliances in couple and family therapy: A conversation‐analytic study

Janusz

Pawelczyk

Józefik

2023

J Marital Family Therapy

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This article examines how family and couple therapists respond to uneven alliances with their clients at the micro‐level of therapeutic exchanges in the context of Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) interviews. We operationalize uneven alliance with the interactional concept of asymmetry of affiliation. To this end, first, using conversation analysis (CA), we identify episodes of asymmetry of affiliation in the moment‐by‐moment conversation between the therapist and the client in therapy consultation. Second, applying CA to the IPR interview data, we examine how therapists orient to the episodes of the session in which the asymmetry of affiliation was identified. The findings demonstrate therapists' two key practices of orienting to the episodes of asymmetry of affiliation: (1) therapists' exclusive identification with one participant by typically invoking gender roles and (2) therapists' investigation of their agency in the emergence of asymmetry.

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“…Such user involvement is assumed to have a strong association with how the working alliance between therapist and client is established and maintained (Tilden & Wampold, 2017), that is, the agreement between client and therapist on goals and tasks along with a sufficient emotional bond (Bordin, 1979). And because there is strong evidence that such an alliance is associated with positive outcomes in psychotherapy in general (Norcross & Lambert, 2018) and systemic CFT in particular (Friedlander et al, 2018; Glebova et al, 2011; Knobloch‐Fedders et al, 2007; Pinsof, 1994; Whittaker et al, 2022), it is hypothesized that there is an association between enhanced user involvement and outcomes. For instance, enhancing user involvement by addressing the process and progress via ROM feedback applied in real‐time therapy would inform treatment on alliance topics (Tilden & Wampold, 2017).…”

Section: Concerning Gaps In Our Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching what we practice—The paradigm of systemic family research: Part 1

Lorås

Whittaker

Stokkebekk³

et al. 2023

Family Process

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This is part 1 of two articles that focus on the ideological and philosophical preference regarding how to relate to and conduct research in the field of systemic couple and family therapy. Thus, this article outlines the theoretical groundwork for part 2 of “Researching what we practice” in the same journal. Research in certain areas of systemic couple and family therapy (CFT), such as that influenced by social constructionism and postmodernism, has a different epistemological tradition than in the natural sciences. Thus, only research from a narrow, selected spectrum of epistemologies has been incorporated as a key source in the knowledge base of systemic CFT. The consequence is that the field of postmodern systemic CFT risks promoting only a limited range of research designs and knowledge while excluding other designs and knowledge types, reasoning that these are less useful in clinical practice. The rationale behind this perspective is derived from ideology and philosophy rather than scientific criteria. Accordingly, in our field of study, different epistemological perspectives are easily viewed as dichotomous, thus causing professional gaps in our field. This tendency constrains the mutual exchange and development that are needed. We present a possible way out of this dichotomized deadlock, first and foremost by acknowledging – and encouraging the use of – the great variety and breadth of existing research and knowledge. Referring to the guiding principles of evidence‐based practice, we argue that this would endow the systemic CFT therapist and researcher with a greater knowledge base and range of research methodologies. This could help improve the quality of treatment provided to our clients and enhance the legitimacy of postmodern systemic CFT as a branch of psychotherapy.

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Treated together–changed together: The application of dyadic analyses to understand the reciprocal nature of alliances and couple satisfaction over time

Cited by 11 publications

References 59 publications

The therapeutic alliance in couple therapy: Patterns by treatment and sex in a randomized controlled trial of emotionally focused therapy and treatment as usual

The therapeutic alliance in couple therapy: Patterns by treatment and sex in a randomized controlled trial of emotionally focused therapy and treatment as usual

How therapists respond to “uneven” alliances in couple and family therapy: A conversation‐analytic study

Researching what we practice—The paradigm of systemic family research: Part 1

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