The Importance of the Working Alliance in the Treatment of Cluttering

Abstract

It is expected that the quality of the working alliance between speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and persons who clutter matters. The term working alliance is an important concept in cluttering and stuttering treatment and can be described as the degree to which the therapy dyad is engaged in collaborative, purposive work. The concept includes, among other factors, a shared understanding of therapy goals and the relevance of the therapy approach to achieving those goals. There has been an increasing interest regarding research that supports the therapeutic relationship as an evidence-based component of interventions in speech-language pathology, and recent research ( Sønsterud et al., 2019 ) supports that a critical element for successful stuttering therapy lies, among other factors, in the concept of the working alliance. Purpose Although there is consensus that SLPs should openly and honestly discuss the individual's goals and expectations for therapy, personal motivation and the impact of the working alliance for people who clutter have not been investigated. This clinical focus article highlights the importance of open and honest discussion around not only the individual's goals for treatment but also the tasks or activities to be incorporated in that treatment. Relevant and specific quantitative and qualitative assessments for measuring the working alliance are required to investigate the concept of the working alliance in more detail. The Working Alliance Inventory–Short Revised version is regarded to be one useful tool to evaluate this client–clinician relationship. The Working Alliance Inventory–Short Revised version is quick and easy to use and explores the working alliance across the 3 processes of bond, goal, and task. Conclusion This clinical focus article contains no research results. Anyhow, some considerations on this concept, both from a person who clutters and SLP perspectives, are included in this clinical focus article. Research is required to investigate whether shared understanding of treatment goals, agreement on tasks, and a respectful and trustful bond may become important predictors for successful therapy outcome also for people who clutter.