Therapeutic alliance as a predictor of behavioral outcomes in a relationally focused, family ‐centered telehealth intervention

This study evaluates therapeutic alliance as a mediator of the relationship between dosage and clinical outcomes for the Family Check ‐Up (FCU) Online, a telehealth adaptation of an evidence‐based parenting intervention for parents of middle school youth. The sample consisted of N = 111 parents with children in middle school who received the FCU Online as part of an ongoing clinical trial. They were randomly assigned to receiv e telehealth coaching and participated in the intervention and follow‐up assessment 12 months later. Data was collected using parent and child questionnaires as well as engagement data collected as part of the online intervention, using both parents and children as reporters of parent behavioral c hange. Using parent report measures, there was clear support for a mediation model, with parent report of alliance predicting parent self‐report ratings of clinical progress (parent behavior change) at 12‐month follow‐up. However, for the child‐report data, there was no clear relationship be tween dosage or therapeutic alliance with child reports of parenting. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Source: Journal of Marital and Family Therapy - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research