A new video on how you can learn from client's perspective of the working alliance over time, as well as some significant studies on how engagement abilities actually translates to client outcomes.
It doesn't surprise me that "untrained therapists had higher alliance ratings". I've noticed the effect myself while starting as an advisor. Instead of listening I was so focused on getting the content and my own objectives right, the client faded more into the background. Instead of a focus on the relationship, it became about an outcome to be achieved, with our relationship more of a tool to achieve that. I think I got it the wrong way around.
It fascinates me that you are able to observe this.
On aggregate, I don't think that untrained therapists have higher alliance ratings, since the study that was discussed here shows non-significance. But, more importantly, clinical experience has not been showed to predict improvement in client outcomes! (note: client outcomes here are based on client's perspective, not our own.)
Just recently, another replication study was done on this with similar findings.
See
1. Goldberg, S. B., Rousmaniere, T., Miller, S. D., Whipple, J., Nielsen, S. L., Hoyt, W. T., & Wampold, B. E. (2016). Do psychotherapists improve with time and experience? A longitudinal analysis of outcomes in a clinical setting. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000131
2. Germer, S., Weyrich, V., Bräscher, A.-K., Mütze, K., & Witthöft, M. (2022). Does practice really make perfect? A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between therapist experience and therapy outcome: A replication of Goldberg, Rousmaniere, et al. (2016). Journal of Counseling Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000608
It doesn't surprise me that "untrained therapists had higher alliance ratings". I've noticed the effect myself while starting as an advisor. Instead of listening I was so focused on getting the content and my own objectives right, the client faded more into the background. Instead of a focus on the relationship, it became about an outcome to be achieved, with our relationship more of a tool to achieve that. I think I got it the wrong way around.
Vincent,
It fascinates me that you are able to observe this.
On aggregate, I don't think that untrained therapists have higher alliance ratings, since the study that was discussed here shows non-significance. But, more importantly, clinical experience has not been showed to predict improvement in client outcomes! (note: client outcomes here are based on client's perspective, not our own.)
Just recently, another replication study was done on this with similar findings.
See
1. Goldberg, S. B., Rousmaniere, T., Miller, S. D., Whipple, J., Nielsen, S. L., Hoyt, W. T., & Wampold, B. E. (2016). Do psychotherapists improve with time and experience? A longitudinal analysis of outcomes in a clinical setting. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000131
2. Germer, S., Weyrich, V., Bräscher, A.-K., Mütze, K., & Witthöft, M. (2022). Does practice really make perfect? A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between therapist experience and therapy outcome: A replication of Goldberg, Rousmaniere, et al. (2016). Journal of Counseling Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000608
Once again, what are we doing in our training?