Rilveria_Clinical Implications of Shared Reality among Client-therapist dyads

The alliance congruence and personal characteristic similarities between clients and their therapists are considered significant factors influencing psychotherapy outcomes. However, there are mixed findings in the literature regarding the direction and magnitude of congruence and similarity effects. The inconsistencies may be attributed to an incomplete framework and unreliable analytic methods. Therefore, this paper aimed to examine the clinical significance of congruence and similarities among client-therapist dyads in a more comprehensive approach. A sample of 104 Filipino client-therapist dyads were recruited to participate in this study. Moderated polynomial regression with response surface analyses was conducted to test the main effect of alliance congruence and moderating effects of personality traits, value, and locus of control belief similarities. Guided by the modified shared reality framework, a conceptualized shared relational world (i.e., client-therapist alliance congruence) was tested to be a significant predictor of therapeutic outcome over and beyond individual ratings of alliance. Furthermore, a shared inner world (i.e., client-therapist trait, value, and locus of control belief similarities) was also confirmed to be significant moderators of the congruence-outcome relationship. This paper advocates for the re-conceptualization of psychotherapy practice that emphasizes the therapeutic alliance and shared realities more than therapeutic techniques and treatment protocols.