The DOI matches its Crossref record; 124 of the 126 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Research on the alliance: Knowledge in search of a theory
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review paper is to summarize the challenges facing research on the alliance now and going forward. The review begins with a brief overview of the development of the concept of the alliance in historical context. METHOD: A summary of what has been accomplished both within the psychotherapy research community and in other professions is presented. Current challenges facing this line of research are identified, including the existence of a wide range of operational definitions that results in a diffusion of the identity of the alliance concept. It is argued that the current situation generates risks to incremental growth in several lines of research. CONCLUSIONS: A case is made that a lack of clarity regarding how several variables within the broader category of therapeutic relationships fit together, overlap, or complement each other is also potentially problematic. Efforts to resolve the lack of a consensual definition are reviewed, and in conclusion, it is argued that a resumption of a conversation about the relationship in the helping context in general, and the alliance in particular, should be resumed.
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“Alliance is considered a generic common factor, with meaning and usefulness expected to be preserved across theoretical orientations [2] and evidence suggests that a range of technology-based interventions can facilitate alliance [36].”
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Alfonsson, S., Hedman‐Lagerlöf, M., Ragnarsson, E. H., Linde, J., Lindgren, A., Fagernäs, S., Beckman, M., Reinebo, G., Mälarstig, I., & Jansson‐Fröjmark, M. (2026) · Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/10503307.2026.2683003 · Cited by 2
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Lingiardi, V., & Cicilia, G. D. (2020) · QUADERNI DI PSICOTERAPIA COGNITIVA · doi:10.3280/qpc45-2019oa8990 · Cited by 1
Flückiger, C., Vîslă, A., & Held, J. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-29906-4_7 · Cited by 1
The Impact of Clients’ and Therapists’ Characteristics on Therapeutic Alliance and Outcome
Tschuschke, V. (2020) · Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal · doi:10.23880/pprij-16000254 · Cited by 1
Prusiński, T. (2022) · Przegląd Psychologiczny · doi:10.31648/przegldpsychologiczny.9103 · Cited by 1
“In Poland, there is a lack of measurement tools, although there are many in the world, and their diversity reflects the coexisting ways of understanding what a psychotherapeutic relationship is (Gelso, 2014; Horvath, 2018).”
BackgroundInfluentialBoxstaens, J., & Depauw, J. (2020) · European Journal of Probation · doi:10.1177/2066220320947967 · Cited by 2
“For future research, it will be important to develop this adapted client version since earlier studies have already shown that the correlation between outcome and the quality of the WA is stronger when assessed by the client (Horvath, 2018; Wampold and Imei, 2015).”
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“Recognition of the collaborative bond between healer and patient dates back to the writings of Hippocrates [24,30], and more recently to Freud in the early 20th century [24], where the concept was explored extensively [30].”
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“In the last four decades, there has been a growing interest in the relationship between the helper and the person being helped, especially in alliance in psychotherapy (Folmo et al., 2020; Horvath, 2018).”
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Prusiński, T. (2022) · Przegląd Psychologiczny · doi:10.31648/przegldpsychologiczny.8671
Tlali, T. (2022) · Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology · doi:10.1080/20797222.2022.2105166
“This emphasises the importance of a sound, trusting relationship between the therapist and sexually abused children in psychotherapy (Horvath, 2018).”
BackgroundTrauer ist nicht nur Trauer, und Trauma ist nicht nur Trauma – zum Umgang mit ‚gemischten Gefühlen‘
Reichel, R., & Gahleitner, S. B. (2019) · PERSON · doi:10.24989/person.v23i2.2407
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Perspectives of Therapeutic Alliance Using Telemental Health for Adolescents
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Love, Grief, and the Therapeutic Relationship: An Essay
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Non-participant Observation as a Method of Data Collection Within Psychotherapeutic Sessions
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InfluentialStefens, M., Rondeel, E. W. M., Templin, J., Brode, D., de Waart, E., de Jong, R. D., ten Hoeve-Rozema, J., Waringa, A., Reijnders, J. S. A. M., Jacobs, N., et al. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.21622569
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“…in use, with authors from different eras and fields treating them as synonymous (Baier, Kline, and Feeny, 2020; Fuertes, Toporovsky, Reyes, and Osborne, 2017; Hartley, Raphael, Lovell, and Berry, 2020; Horvath, 2018; Rogers, 1958; Tishby and Wiseman, 2018; Wilkinson, Rance, and Fitzsimmons, 2017).”
Kühl, E., Koning, I. M., Deković, M., Thomaes, S. C. E., & Liber, J. M. (2026) · Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities · doi:10.1080/19315864.2026.2655130
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“The literature (Escudero, 2020; Horvath, 2018; Horvath et al., 2010) highlights that the association between a stronger alliance and greater treatment benefits is relevant not only in individual psychotherapy with adults but also in other treatment modalities.”
The therapeutic value of peer support for multiply disadvantaged adults: A theory of change
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Flückiger, C. (2026) · CBT: science into practice · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-05191-2_4
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Horvath, A. O. (2026) · Journal of Constructivist Psychology · doi:10.1080/10720537.2026.2673872
Self-citationZhang, F., Wortham, W. K., Sullivan, K., Kaplan, D., Cloître, M., Timmer, S. G., & Lindsey, M. A. (2026) · Clinical Social Work Journal · doi:10.1007/s10615-026-01050-y
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Metadata
- Authors
- Horvath, A. O.
- Affiliations
- Simon Fraser University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Horvath, Adam O.
- ORCID
- Horvath, Adam O.
- Venue
- Psychotherapy Research
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-09-13
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 499-516
- ISSN
- 1050-3307 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-4381
- OpenAlex
- W2755354210
- Cited by
- 137
- References
- 126
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychotherapy Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Simon Fraser University (90140)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Counseling Practices and Supervision
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- therapeutic relationship, alliance theory, operational definitions, helping relationship
- MeSH terms
- Therapeutic Alliance, Humans, Psychological Theory
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