THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITALS - AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY

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.