WORKING ALLIANCE, ATTACHMENT MEMORIES, AND SOCIAL COMPETENCES OF WOMEN IN BRIEF THERAPY

Current social competencies and memories of attachment bonds with each parent were examined as they related to influences on formation of the working alliance. Female clients (N = 76) at 4 university and community agencies completed surveys containing the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Adult Attachment Scale, and the Working Alliance Inventory. Results indicated that parental bonds, especially with fathers, were significantly associated with social competencies. Multiple regression analyses indicated that social competencies (self-efficacy and adult attachment) accounted for 14% of the variance in client working alliance ratings, whereas recalled parental bonds accounted for 23% of the variance. Working alliance was negatively associated with father bonds, positively associated with mother bonds, and-among social competencies-significantly associated with capacity for adult attachment.