1. Review of the therapeutic alliance construct and the major t instruments.

Summary of empirical and theoretical studies on the therapeutic alliance in individual psychotherapy, explaining the major research findings. Analysis of the unique characteristics of the therapeutic alliance when working with couples and families; review of constructs in the field of family therapy related to the therapeutic alliance; description of recent studies that have shown associations between the therapeutic alliance and treatment retention and/or outcomes in family therapy; description of the major questionnaires that can be used to assess the therapeutic alliance in couple and family therapy (the Couple Therapy Alliance Scale (CTAS) and Family Therapy Alliance Scale (FTAS) (Pinsof & Catherall, 1986) Working Alliance Inventory--Couples (WAI-Co) Symonds & Horvath, 2004).