The Status of the Counseling Relationship

TLDR

The quality of the counseling relationship is the most influential factor for client success, yet its definition and key components remain unclear. This article systematically reviews empirical studies of the counseling relationship to clarify its components and explores how adopting a social constructivist paradigm could reshape theoretical models and future research agendas. The review applies Gelso & Carter’s multidimensional model to summarize evidence for the real, unreal, and working alliance elements and reports on studies examining the interactional nature of the counseling relationship.

Abstract

The quality of the counseling relationship has consistently been found to have the most significant impact on successful client outcome. Yet the definition and critical components of a quality counseling relationship remain in question. This article is a systematic review of studies of the counseling relationship intended to identify the present empirical understanding of this essential element of counseling. Using the multidimensional model proposed by Gelso & Carter, empirical support for the "real, " "unreal, " and "working alliance" elements of the relationship are summarized. Studies investigating the interactional nature of the counseling relationship are also reported. In addition, implications of a potential "paradigm" shift in thinking of the counseling relationship are discussed in regard to the development of theoretical models and future research agendas. In particular, the authors outline how the adoption of a social constructivist perspective would change the focus of the theoretical models and systematic research.