Volume 16, Issue 2
THE THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE AND COMMITMENT TO THERAPY
Abstract
In the present pilot study, we tried to identify some common factors that affect patient's engagement in the psychotherapeutic process from the patients' point of view. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty male and twelve female patients. They were all suffering from a wide range of psychological problems, continuing psychotherapy of integrative type in a private practice setting. The questions asked by the therapist focused on revealing the factors influencing patient's engagement in therapy. The thirty-two interviews were recorded and analysed. The results demonstrated a wide variety of factors affecting patients' engagement in psychotherapy. One of the most important factors that patients revealed was the psychotherapeutic relationship.
Keywords
therapeutic relationship, pilot study, engagement factor in psychotherapy