Therapeutic Alliance as a Mediating Factor Between Couple Attachment and Therapeutic Outcome

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to examine how the therapeutic alliance mediates the relationship between the anxiety and avoidance dimensions on a couple attachment measure and subsequent relationship satisfaction scores. The sample is derived from couples attending therapy at a marriage and family therapy training clinic at a southeastern university. It was found that the therapeutic alliance does not mediated couples’ attachment and their relationship satisfcation scores. However, a positive relationship was found between females and males first and fourth session relationship satisfaction scores and between females and males therapeutic alliance scores and fourth session relationship satisfaction scores. Additionally, a negative relationship between males’ anxiety and fourth session relationship satisfaction scores was found.