Ethnicity and Therapeutic Alliance.

Abstract

The therapeutic alliance,defined as a relationship between the therapist and patient in which they work together in a realistic collaboration based on mutual respect,liking,trust and commitment to the work of the psychotherapeutic treatment,is thought to be an important component of successful therapeutic interventions and may also serve to reduce premature terminations.The concept of therapeutic alliance,however,has not been addressed directly in the ethnic minority literature.Literature pertaining to the psychotherapeutic treatment of ethnic minorities was reviewed with an emphasis on therapeutic alliance.Factors that may influence the development of an adequate therapeutic alliance with ethnic minority patients are identified and discussed.In addition, recommendations for integrating into clinical psychology training programs the process of building therapeutic alliances with ethnic minority are made.