Date of Award

6-2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

First Advisor

Eric Sauer, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Mark St. Martin, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Lori Gray, Ph.D.

Keywords

Attachment, psychotherapy, self-disclosure, working alliance

Abstract

Client self-disclosure is a core component of the psychotherapy process and increased levels of client self-disclosure have been shown to predict more positive therapeutic outcomes (Pattee & Farber, 2008; Sloan & Kahn, 2005). Similarly, the working alliance and attachment are constructs that have been studied in psychotherapy research and are consistently associated with therapeutic outcomes. Specifically, stronger working alliance ratings and higher levels of secure attachment have been found to predict more positive therapy outcomes (e.g., Flückiger et al., 2018; Mallinckrodt et al., 2005; Sauer et al., 2010). As these three constructs have been found to influence psychotherapy outcomes, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between the working alliance, attachment style, and client self-disclosure among adults in individual psychotherapy. The present study (a) examined the associations between client attachment style (from both the global and therapist-specific attachment orientations) and client self-disclosure, and (b) examined whether the working alliance moderates the relationship between client therapist-specific attachment and client self-disclosure.

The present research is a survey study and recruited adults in individual outpatient psychotherapy in the Midwestern United States (N = 68). Participants completed measures of self-disclosure in therapy, therapist-specific attachment, global attachment, and the working alliance. Results indicated that secure and preoccupied-merger attachment to one’s therapist was significantly and positively correlated with client self-disclosure, while avoidant-fearful attachment to one’s therapist was not significantly associated with client self-disclosure. Anxious global attachment was positively and significantly correlated with client self-disclosure and avoidant attachment was not significantly associated with client self-disclosure. The working alliance was only found to significantly moderate the relationship between secure attachment to one’s therapist and client self-disclosure. The current findings hold implications to the science and practice of counseling psychology.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

Download

Share

COinS