Client-therapist alliance for adolescents and young adults with autism: relation to treatment outcomes and client characteristics

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dc.contributorRoberts, Jane E.
dc.contributorParmelee, Patricia
dc.contributor.advisorWhite, Susan W.
dc.contributor.authorBrewe, Alexis Marie
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Alabama Tuscaloosa
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-12T16:28:26Z
dc.date.available2021-05-12T16:28:26Z
dc.date.issued2020-04
dc.descriptionElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
dc.description.abstractAdolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience difficulties with emotion regulation (ER), which has been associated with a host of co-occurring problems with mood, anxiety, and aggression. Although treatments targeting ER are available for individuals with ASD, there is a limited understanding of factors that lead to successful outcomes. The therapeutic alliance is considered important for outcomes in non-ASD samples; however, the process of alliance formation and its relation to treatment outcomes is unclear for clients with ASD. The present study aims to examine the trajectory of alliance formation across treatment, as well as examine whether alliance is related to treatment outcomes or specific within-person characteristics. Participants included adolescents and adults with ASD (n = 39, mean age = 15.28 years, age range = 12 to 21 years, 79.50% male) who completed a 16-week intervention designed to treat ER difficulties. Client-therapist alliance was measured at four timepoints throughout treatment using an observational measure of alliance and parents rated their child’s ER difficulties. Interrater reliability on observer-rated alliance was strong. Alliance formation significantly fluctuated throughout treatment. Overall alliance strength, as well as alliance early in treatment, predicted better treatment outcomes. Additionally, ASD symptom severity and co-occurring depression were related to alliance strength. The current study supports the importance of therapeutic alliance for clients with ASD and highlights a need for increased alliance formation during critical stages in treatment. Considerations for future research are discussed.en_US
dc.format.extent69 p.
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.otheru0015_0000001_0003730
dc.identifier.otherBrewe_alatus_0004M_14207
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/7673
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alabama Libraries
dc.relation.hasversionborn digital
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Electronic Theses and Dissertations
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Libraries Digital Collections
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated.en_US
dc.subjectClinical psychology
dc.titleClient-therapist alliance for adolescents and young adults with autism: relation to treatment outcomes and client characteristicsen_US
dc.typethesis
dc.typetext
etdms.degree.departmentUniversity of Alabama. Department of Psychology
etdms.degree.disciplinePsychology
etdms.degree.grantorThe University of Alabama
etdms.degree.levelmaster's
etdms.degree.nameM.A.

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