Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2025

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Group member attachment style interacts with actor and partner helping alliance to predict decreasing binge eating
Gianluca Lo Coco1, Agostino Brugnera2, Laura Salerno1
1University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Objective:
An individual's attachment style may impact how they interact with their therapy group. This study examined the moderating role of a group member's attachment on the dynamic relationships between that group member's (actor) and other group members' (partner) therapeutic alliances and symptom outcomes. Method: This is a secondary analysis of data from a trial testing the outcome of emotionally-focused group therapy for binge-eating disorder. The sample consisted of 2,360 sessions nested within 118 group members who attended a 20-session treatment. Patients recorded binge eating episodes (BEE), their body weight and an alliance measure session-by-session.
Results:
Dynamic structural equation modelling showed decreases in BEE and weight over the therapy. When attachment style was not included in the model, higher-than-average partner's alliance scores in the previous session were related to decreases in BEE in the current session. Attachment style moderated these actor and partner effects. For patients with preoccupied attachments, higher-than-average actor alliance in the previous session was related to subsequent decreases in BEE. For patients with dismissing or disorganized attachments, higher partner alliance in the previous session was related to subsequent decreases in BEE.
Conclusion:
Group members' attachment characteristics can play a role in the development of alliance-outcome patterns in group therapy.
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