Working alliance as a predictor of change in depression during blended cognitive behaviour therapy
Kristofer Vernmark, Hugo Hesser, Naira Topooco, Thomas Berger, Heleen Riper, Liisa Luuk, Lisa Backlund, Per Carlbring, Gerhard Andersson, Kristofer Vernmark, Hugo Hesser, Naira Topooco, Thomas Berger, Heleen Riper, Liisa Luuk, Lisa Backlund, Per Carlbring, Gerhard Andersson
Abstract
Blended Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (bCBT) is a new form of treatment, mixing internet-based modules and face-to-face therapist sessions. How participants rate the therapeutic alliance in bCBT has not yet been thoroughly explored, and neither is it clear whether therapist- and patient-rated alliances are predictors of change in depression during treatment. Depression and alliance ratings from 73 participants in a treatment study on bCBT (part of the E-COMPARED project) were analysed using growth curve models. Alliance, as rated by both patients and therapists, was high. The therapist-rated working alliance was predictive of subsequent changes in depression scores during treatment, whereas the patient-rated alliance was not. A therapeutic alliance can be established in bCBT. The role of the therapist-rated alliance seems to be of particular importance and should be carefully considered when collecting data in future studies on bCBT.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02449447.
Keywords: Therapeutic alliance; blended treatment; depression; growth models; internet-based treatment.
Source: PubMed