The Relationship between Client Attachment and Therapist Interventions in Client-Nominated Relationship-Building Incidents La relation entre l’attachement du client et les interventions thérapeutiques dans les incidents critiques au développement du rapport thérapeutique selon le client

Twenty-four clients were asked to nominate an incident that was critical to the development of their therapeutic relationship with a therapist trainee. Therapist interventions within each client relationship-building incident (RBI) were identified. Relationships between therapist interventions and the attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance were examined. The results of multiple regression indicated that attachment anxiety moderated the relationship between attachment avoidance and the type of therapist interventions present in the RBI. Findings offer support for Bowlby’s secure base hypothesis. Secure clients (low anxiety, low avoidance) nominated incidents with higher levels of exploratory interventions. Dismissing clients (low anxiety, high avoidance) nominated incidents with higher levels of supportive interventions. Issues related to tailoring therapist behaviours to client attachment style to facilitate positive alliances are discussed.