M. Krupinski et al., THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITALS - AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY, JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY, 8(3), 1997, pp. 528-545
This paper presents the first results of an application of empirical r
esearch methods of psychotherapy in forensic psychiatric hospitals in
Germany.(1) Data were collected in a study on therapeutic alliance con
ducted in four forensic facilities in Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg and H
esse in the summer of 1994, comprising 137 patients and their therapis
ts. Quality of therapeutic alliance was rated by therapists and patien
ts. By means of a cluster-analytic procedure four kinds of therapeutic
co-operation (clusters) were identified. By use of methods of varianc
e and discriminant analysis, differences between the clusters were fou
nd in perceived amount of time of therapy, gender of the therapist, so
me forensic characteristics of the patients and therapists' rating of
the probability of a criminal relapse, No clear association was found
between quality of therapeutic alliance and the frequency and duration
of therapy and pears of professional experience, Data demonstrate tha
t psychotherapeutic research is feasible in forensic psychiatric hospi
tals and that further research, on therapeutic alliance seems to be wa
rranted with regard to both the therapeutic process and forensic psych
iatry in general. Therapeutic alliance and its bearing on criminal pro
gnosis might turn out to be a point of special interest.