Early psychotherapeutic empathy, alliance, and client outcome: Preliminary evidence of indirect effects. Issue 6 (24th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McClintock, Andrew S.; Anderson, Timothy; Patterson, Candace L; Wing, Edgar H
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical psychology. Volume 74:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 839
• Page End: 848
• Publication Date: 2018-01-24
• Subjects: alliance, empathy, indirect effect -- mechanism; Psychology -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22568
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9762

Abstract

Abstract: The association between psychotherapeutic empathy and client outcome is well established, yet the mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that early experiences of empathy influence outcome through the working alliance. To test this hypothesis, we used archival data collected from 56 clients (mean [ M ] age = 19.5 years, 83.9% female, 76.8% White) who reported mild, moderate, or severe depressive symptoms at screening and pretreatment assessments and then received five sessions of evidence‐based psychotherapy. Therapists ( M age = 26.0 years, 50% female, 100% White) were six students in a clinical psychology PhD program. Results of bootstrap analyses were consistent with the idea that early experiences of empathy strengthen the alliance (specifically the goals and tasks facets), which in turn facilitates improvements in depressive symptoms and psychological well‐being. While preliminary, these results implicate a specific pathway of change in the treatment of depression.