Using therapeutic metacommunication and systematic monitoring of the working alliance in adolescent psychotherapy: a clinical case study

Abstract

<p>The quality of the working alliance as assessed by the patient is the most robust predictor of the therapeutic outcome. However, the working alliance is much less studied in youth psychotherapy than among adults, even though it might be a more complex phenomenon. This clinical case study presents examples of how a problematic working alliance is addressed through therapeutic metacommunication and how strengthening the therapeutic alliance contributes to the outcome in the psychotherapy of an adolescent girl. The results of this study encourage further studies of working alliances in adolescent psychotherapy apart from child and adult psychotherapy.</p>