RELATION BETWEEN COUNSELORS USE OF INTENTIONS AND CLIENTS PERCEPTION OF WORKING ALLIANCE

I examined the relation between counselor intention use and client-rated working alliance. Subjects were 42 volunteer clients paired with 42 counselor trainees for 4 counseling sessions. Ratings were obtained for client interpersonal attitudes, client-rated working alliance, and counselor intention use. Counselor intention use accounted for a moderate amount of variance in client-rated working alliance, after the variance in client interpersonal attitudes was removed. Specific counselor intentions (assessment, explore, support) were negatively related to strength of the working alliance. The implications of these findings for theoretical formulations of working alliance formation are discussed.