Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a versatile, nonmedical approach aimed at helping individuals address emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal issues to enhance their overall well-being. It can involve one-on-one sessions, couples counseling, or small group discussions with a therapist. The therapeutic process includes various techniques such as open discussion, interpretation of thoughts and behaviors, active listening, positive reinforcement, and role modeling. Psychotherapy aims to support individuals in...

Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a structured, time-limited therapeutic approach initially developed to treat depression. It integrates key concepts from psychodynamic, humanistic, and cognitive-behavioral therapies, making it a uniquely eclectic framework. The therapy is rooted in the interpersonal theories of Adolph Meyer and Harry Stack Sullivan, as well as John Bowlby's attachment theory, and focuses on the interplay between interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being.

Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy

Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy

Research has highlighted several critical factors that influence the effectiveness of psychotherapy, such as the therapeutic alliance, the therapist, and the client.
The Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The alliance strengthens when the therapist and the client engage in a nurturing, supportive, trusting, empathetic, and respectful relationship, improving therapeutic outcomes. Therapists must monitor this relationship...

Relationship Formation

Relationship Formation

What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...

Ending Relationships

Ending Relationships

The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...

Relationship Growth

Relationship Growth

Interpersonal relationships progress through stages, beginning with awareness and moving toward mutuality, where emotional connections deepen. While many relationships remain at moderate levels of mutuality, deeper connections form through self-disclosure, trust, and interdependence.Self-DisclosureSelf-disclosure involves revealing personal information, starting with surface-level details and gradually progressing to more intimate content. As trust grows, individuals feel more comfortable...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Larry E. Beutler (1941-2024).

The American psychologist·2025

Same author

Allen E. Bergin (1934-2024).

The American psychologist·2025

Same author

Allen E. Bergin (1934-2024).

The American psychologist·2025

Same author

Larry E. Beutler (1941-2024).

The American psychologist·2025

Same author

James O. Prochaska (1942-2023).

The American psychologist·2025

Same author

Allen E. Bergin (1934-2024).

The American psychologist·2025

Same journal

Presence before alliance? Longitudinal evidence from psychotherapy trainees in China.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)·2026

Same journal

Real and unreal elements within the psychotherapy relationship.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)·2026

Same journal

Cultural processes for addressing clients' spiritual and religious identities in psychotherapy: A proof-of-concept investigation.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)·2026

Same journal

Early alliance growth and changes in attachment styles in psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)·2026

Same journal

A qualitative meta-analysis on therapist responsiveness to dissociation: Introducing the dissociation-responsive therapy model.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)·2026

Same journal

Microprocesses predicting early emotional bond in videoconferencing and face-to-face psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web

Published on: July 16, 2017

Psychotherapy relationships that work III.

John C Norcross¹, Michael J Lambert²

¹Department of Psychology, University of Scranton.

Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)

|October 19, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The psychotherapy relationship significantly impacts treatment outcomes, regardless of the specific therapy used. Decades of research confirm its crucial role in effective mental health care.

More Related Videos

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Published on: October 1, 2011

Combining Volumetric Capnography And Barometric Plethysmography To Measure The Lung Structure-function Relationship

Combining Volumetric Capnography And Barometric Plethysmography To Measure The Lung Structure-function Relationship

Published on: January 8, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web

Published on: July 16, 2017

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Published on: October 1, 2011

Combining Volumetric Capnography And Barometric Plethysmography To Measure The Lung Structure-function Relationship

Combining Volumetric Capnography And Barometric Plethysmography To Measure The Lung Structure-function Relationship

Published on: January 8, 2019

Area of Science:

Psychology
Psychotherapy Research
Clinical Psychology

Background:

This article introduces a special journal issue on evidence-based psychotherapy relationships, framed by the Third Interdivisional American Psychological Association Task Force.
It examines the historical devaluation of the therapeutic relationship in current treatment guidelines and evidence-based practices.
The Task Force's purposes, processes, and limitations are discussed.

Discussion:

Meta-analytic results from 16 articles are presented, each exploring a specific relationship element's link to treatment outcome.
Expert consensus identified 9 demonstrably effective, 7 probably effective, and 1 promising relationship element.
The focus is on identifying effective and ineffective components within the therapy relationship.

Key Insights:

The psychotherapy relationship is a substantial and consistent contributor to treatment outcomes.
This contribution is independent of the specific type of psychotherapy employed.
Decades of research and clinical experience converge on the importance of the therapeutic alliance.

Outlook:

The article concludes with the Task Force's formal conclusions and 28 actionable recommendations.
Future research should continue to refine our understanding of effective therapeutic relationship elements.
Integrating these findings into practice is crucial for enhancing psychotherapy effectiveness.