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A meta-analysis of the relation between patient adult attachment style and the working alliance
Psychotherapy Research (2014)
  • Kenneth N Levy
  • Samantha L Bernecker
  • William D Ellison, Pennsylvania State University
Abstract
This meta-analysis synthesizes research on the relation between patient adult attachment style and patient-rated working alliance. A random-effects model was used to calculate the mean weighted product-moment correlation (r) for 24 studies (12 published in peer-reviewed journals and 12 unpublished doctoral dissertations) of individual outpatient therapy with adults. The mean weighted r for attachment avoidance and alliance was −.137, p<.001, and the mean weighted r for attachment anxiety and alliance was −.121, p<.001. These findings suggest that therapists should attend to attachment in order to foster alliance and have additional implications for theory and future research.
Publication Date
2014
Citation Information
Kenneth N Levy, Samantha L Bernecker and William D Ellison. "A meta-analysis of the relation between patient adult attachment style and the working alliance" Psychotherapy Research Vol. 24 Iss. 1 (2014) p. 12 - 24
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/william_ellison/6/