Parents' attitudes toward their child's therapist and therapy

Parents of children in therapy typically have strong feelings and thoughts about their child's treatment, and their cooperation and support is often a critical aspect of successful treatment. Recent literature, in conjunction with the results of a small-scale study of 51 parents of children currently in treatment, suggests that contrary to classic psychoanalytic literature, parents experience primarily positive attitudes and feelings toward their child's therapist; they tend to feel hopeful, understood, and grateful. For the sake of both promoting and preserving therapeutic gains, therapists should actively pursue an alliance with parents and encourage their participation in their child's treatment.