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Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Published on: January 17, 2025

Experience-Dependent Counselor-Client Brain Synchronization during Psychological Counseling.

Ya Zhang¹, Tian Meng², Yaxi Yang²

¹School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China yzhang@psy.ecnu.edu.cn.

|September 4, 2020

Summary

Counselor experience enhances interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS) and working alliance (WA) in therapy. Client-led brain activity may predict alliance quality, suggesting IBS is experience-dependent.

Keywords:

counselor-client brain synchronization experienced psychotherapists fNIRS hyperscanning psychotherapy experience temporo-parietal junction working alliance

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Psychotherapy Research

Background:

The counselor's experience in therapeutic alliance formation is debated.
Interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS) using fNIRS offers insights into counselor-client relationship dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between counselor experience, interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS), and working alliance (WA).
To explore the neural correlates of therapeutic alliance in experienced versus novice counselor-client dyads.

Main Methods:

Simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure IBS in 14 experienced and 16 novice counselor-client dyads.
Client self-report measures of working alliance (WA).
Analysis of brain activity in the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) and time-lagged synchronization.

Main Results:

Synchronous brain activity in the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) was observed across dyads.
Higher IBS and WA quality were associated with more experienced counselors.
Time-lagged IBS, with client activity preceding the counselor's, correlated with the alliance goal component.

Conclusions:

Interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS) in counseling is influenced by counselor experience.
The findings suggest an experience-dependent adaptive mechanism in psychological counseling.
IBS may serve as a neural marker for therapeutic alliance quality.