Religion, spirituality, and attachment as predictors of the therapeutic alliance
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to conduct a quantitative analysis which examined religion, spirituality, and attachment as predictors of the relationship between client attachment to therapist and the therapeutic alliance. Previous research has suggested that attachment plays a significant role in the therapeutic alliance. Previous research also has shown that the integration of a client's religion or spirituality in treatment is associated with positive treatment outcomes. The current study tested several hypotheses (1) when clients perceive that their therapist integrated their religion or spirituality in treatment, and how they perceived that their therapist did this, this would be positively associated with a strong client-therapist attachment and a strong working alliance; (2) this pattern would be particularly strong for highly religious and spiritual clients; and (3) the relationship between client-therapist attachment and the working alliance would be moderated by the degree to which religion and spirituality were integrated into therapy. The study included a sample of 307 individuals between the ages of 19 and 64. Participants were all U.S. citizens and had attended therapy as an adult. The results from this study highlight the need for integration of clients' religion or spirituality in treatment due to the significant impact on the relationship between the client attachment to therapist and the working alliance. The results highlight the complexity of the client attachment to therapist and the integration of religion and spirituality in treatment. The study also gathered important qualitative data on clients' experiences of therapy and examined clinical implications for therapists. The results from this study point to important future research and clinical implications regarding the therapeutic alliance, attachment, and religion and spirituality in therapy.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Nalbone, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Religion|Philosophy|Mental health|Behavioral psychology
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