A time series model of the working alliance: A key process in short-term psychoanalytic counseling

The relationship between the counselor and client's perception of the working alliance across sessions was investigated in short-term psychoanalytic counseling. Prior research suggests that counselors play a large role in clients' perception of the working alliance. A time-series analysis allowed specific processes based upon prior research and theory to be tested. The results illustrate a time-bound process of counselor and client perceptions of the working alliance. The findings provide further evidence that counselors play a major role in clients' perception of the working alliance and that this impact carries over into the subsequent sessions in short-term psychoanalytic counseling. Implications are discussed and avenues for future research are suggested.