Evaluation of assessment instruments for working alliance in psychological interventions with adolescents: A systematic review

Basit Öğe Kaydı
dc.authorid0000-0002-6822-4970
dc.authorid0000-0001-6489-0290
dc.authorid0000-0002-0720-567X
dc.authorid0000-0001-6584-4691
dc.contributor.authorMartins, Mariana Veloso
dc.contributor.authorMarjanovic, Zorana Jolic
dc.contributor.authorFerreira, Nuno
dc.contributor.authorHancheva, Camellia
dc.contributor.authorMotrico, Emma
dc.contributor.authorMestre, Jose M.
dc.contributor.authorFalkenstrom, Fredrik
dc.date.accessioned2026-04-04T18:55:28Z
dc.date.available2026-04-04T18:55:28Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.departmentİstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi
dc.description.abstractThe working alliance is one of the most robust predictors of outcomes in adult psychotherapy. Since the alliance is often challenging to establish and maintain in psychotherapy with adolescents, conducting high-quality assessments of the alliance using sound measures in this population is critical. Still, measurement instruments developed for adults cannot be directly transferred to adolescent samples. This systematic review aimed to identify and critically evaluate available assessment tools for working alliance in adolescent psychotherapy using the COnsensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) framework. A comprehensive literature search across PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycARTICLES, up to October 2024, yielded 47 research studies reporting on working alliance measurement properties. Findings indicate that self-report measures are most commonly studied, with the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Form (WAI-S) and Therapeutic Alliance Quality Scale (TAQS) showing the best psychometric properties. Nevertheless, even with these measures, there are notable shortcomings in cross-cultural validity, measurement error, and responsiveness, which are essential for applications in longitudinal studies and with diverse populations. Less commonly studied, often with very small samples, observer-rated tools displayed high reliability but limited predictive validity. Our review highlights the need for more stringent research on developmentally appropriate, reliable working alliance instruments for adolescents to support clinicians and researchers in studying and monitoring this aspect of patient-therapist relations. These findings, together with the COSMIN guidelines, inform recommendations for future research mainly in terms of improved content validity, measurement error, cross-cultural validity, and responsiveness.
dc.description.sponsorshipEuropean Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)
dc.description.sponsorshipWe gratefully acknowledge the help of research librarians Trine Lacoppidan Kaestel and Vibeke Rabjerg Gruenbaum, Psychiatric Research Unit, Slagelse in the construction of search strings, updates and reference management. The review was conducted by researchers involved in the COST Action on European Network on Individualized Psychotherapy Treatment of Young People with Mental Disorders (TREATme; www.cos t.eu/actions/CA16102/) funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) . We extend our thanks to the full COST TREATme network for continuous support and encouragement.
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102586
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102586
dc.identifier.issn0272-7358
dc.identifier.issn1873-7811
dc.identifier.pmid40311538
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-105003836586
dc.identifier.scopusqualityQ1
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102586
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11411/10433
dc.identifier.volume119
dc.identifier.wosWOS:001494528000001
dc.identifier.wosqualityQ1
dc.indekslendigikaynakWeb of Science
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopus
dc.indekslendigikaynakPubMed
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherPergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd
dc.relation.ispartofClinical Psychology Review
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanı
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.snmzKA_WoS_20260402
dc.snmzKA_Scopus_20260402
dc.subjectIntegrative Psychotherapy Alliance
dc.subjectTherapeutic Alliance
dc.subjectFamily-Therapy
dc.subjectMethodological Quality
dc.subjectResidential Care
dc.subjectShort-Form
dc.subjectValidation
dc.subjectScale
dc.subjectChild
dc.subjectYouth
dc.titleEvaluation of assessment instruments for working alliance in psychological interventions with adolescents: A systematic review
dc.typeArticle

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