General psychiatry, still in no-man's land after all these years.

Mental health services have changed beyond recognition in my 38-year career. In this editorial I reflect on those changes and highlight the issues that undermine patient care and damage staff morale. In particular, modern mental health services have undermined the therapeutic relationship, the bedrock underpinning all psychiatric treatment.

Perceived usefulness of the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship in the rehabilitation journey of people with urinary incontinence: A mixed-method study.

INTRODUCTION: Despite various studies on the impact of incontinence on patients' lives, the existing literature has not investigated the contribution of nursing care during rehabilitation in terms of quality of life. Fewer data, therefore, exist on the characteristics and perceived impact of the therapeutic relationship as part of the rehabilitation program. AIMS: To investigate the characteristics of the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship and its impact throughout the rehabilitation program; to describe the levels of patient burden on everyday activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A monocentric, retrospective, multimethod descriptive study was conducted in the nurse-led continence clinic of a major teaching hospital in Northern Italy. A phenomenological approach with semistructured interviews was adopted after 6 weeks of rehabilitation, following the method of phenomenological enquiry by Giorgi. The short form 12 questionnaire was administered upon admission of patients to the clinic, after 6 weeks, and during the last consultation to investigate the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on daily activities and physical and psychological quality of life. RESULTS: Ninety-one adult patients of both genders presenting for nonneurogenic nonpostpartum UI were consecutively enrolled. Physical scores (PCS-12) and MCS-12 scores significantly increased over time. Psychological scores showed great variability upon admission, which was reduced halfway through the rehabilitation program. The thematic analysis highlighted four categories based on data saturation: the impact of UI on daily activities, strategies to face the problem, feelings, and the role of nurses. CONCLUSIONS: This mixed-method investigation suggests the importance of therapeutic nursing relationships, clinical expertise, and rehabilitative skills. Quality of life is arguably related to the positive results of the rehabilitation program but also to the environment, patients perceive in terms of support, honesty, and trust.

Introducing Compassionate and Relational Enquiry (CARE): A Three-Day Training for Mental Health Clinicians on Relational Ways of Working.

Research shows that, in mental healthcare, empathy and active listening skills play a fundamental role in the therapeutic relationship. Despite this, clinicians receive little training in cultivating these qualities, and there is a dearth of training in therapeutic relationships and relational care in this field more generally. In response to this paucity of training, a new intensive three-day training programme has been developed called Compassionate and Relational Enquiry (CARE). The CARE training programme has recently been delivered to a number of mental health teams in different boroughs of an NHS Trust and has undergone several rounds of redevelopment. This paper outlines the CARE training programme's objectives and mode of delivery, and subsequently presents questionnaire results from recent CARE trainees regarding their experience of the nature and utility of the training. Four main themes emerged from responses to the question of the utility of the training, these were 'A shift towards more person-centred care', 'Strengthens the therapeutic relationship', 'Facilitates more collaborative care with patients and their families' and 'Development of new skills and therapeutic techniques'. The paper concludes by discussing the potential of this training to help forge a substantial shift in the culture of mental health services in a systemic way.

The experiences of a therapeutic relationship between dietitians and patients in UK eating disorder treatment: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Dietitians have a central role in eating disorder (ED) treatment, however few studies exist investigating therapeutic aspects of dietetic care and factors influencing the dietitian-patient relationship. To address the gap, this study aimed to use a qualitative description approach to explore the experiences of delivering and receiving dietetic care in ED treatment in the UK. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 specialist ED dietitians and focus groups with 11 recovered ED patients. Interviews were transcribed and inductive thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes describing the data. RESULTS: Six key themes were generated: (1) Building trust, (2) Appropriate timing, (3) Adapting, (4) Dietitians as experts, (5) Boundaries, and (6) Difficult relationships. Participants highlighted the importance of building trust and considering nutritional risk and readiness in treatment approach. Patients expressed a desire for dietitians to have experience in EDs, facilitating understanding of their illness. However, dietitians identified the nature of EDs making their role challenging at times. DISCUSSION: This study described various factors affecting dietetic care in EDs and provided a valuable insight into patients' perceptions of treatment. The findings support advancements in ED dietitians' knowledge and understanding, helping to enhance quality of care.

The development of the Epistemic Trust Rating System (ETRS).

OBJECTIVE: The present study introduces and validates the Epistemic Trust Rating System (ETRS), an observer-based measure designed to assess epistemic trust (ET) within psychotherapy. ET in psychotherapy has gained much theoretical attention as a critical component in the therapeutic context, given its inherent link to social communication. However, its empirical validation remains pending, largely due to the absence of a refined instrument to gauge ET levels within the therapy environment. Therefore, this study aimed to translate ET's theoretical construct into tangible markers within the therapeutic context. METHOD: One hundred eighteen patients enrolled in a randomized controlled trial received psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression. Incorporating top-down theoretical considerations with bottom-up empirical observations yielded an overall ETRS score accompanied by three distinct sub-scales, each assessing a singular ET element: one gauges the patient's propensity to share; another measures the degree to which "we-mode" moments are achieved within the session; and the third evaluates the patient's receptiveness to learning. RESULTS: The findings demonstrate the psychometric robustness of the ETRS, with good internal consistency, interrater reliability (ICC(1,8) = .86-.90), and convergent (r = .23-.29) and discriminant validity (r = -.10). CONCLUSION: The current study highlights the ETRS as a promising tool bridging theory and empirical exploration, enhancing our understanding of epistemic trust in psychotherapy.

The relationships among working alliance, group cohesion and homework engagement in group cognitive behaviour therapy for social anxiety disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have investigated the role of generic relational factors, such as group cohesion and working alliance, in group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD). The aim of this study was to examine the temporal associations among working alliance, group cohesion, and an index of a CBT-specific factor, homework engagement, as correlates of fear of negative evaluation and symptoms of social anxiety in group CBT for SAD. METHOD: There were 105 participants with a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder who were randomly assigned to 12 sessions of group imagery-enhanced or standard CBT. Participants completed measures at various time points during the 12-session interventions, and the relationship among variables was examined through random-intercept cross-lagged panel models. RESULTS: Group cohesion was significantly associated with social anxiety symptoms at the end of treatment, however there was no significant relationship with working alliance. Greater homework engagement predicted lower social interaction anxiety, but only during mid-treatment. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the importance of supporting group cohesion and maximising homework engagement during core components of social anxiety treatment such as behavioural experiments.

Therapist and treatment credibility in treatment outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clients' perceptions in individual and face-to-face psychotherapies.

OBJECTIVE: No systematic review was identified investigating the influence of perceived therapist credibility on treatment outcomes. Extant treatment credibility reviews have focused on early perceptions without considering influence of various therapy phases. This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived treatment and therapist credibility and treatment outcomes, while considering the timing of the credibility assessment as a potential moderator. METHOD: Articles published in English peer-reviewed journals containing at least one quantitative measure of credibility and treatment outcome regarding face-to-face therapist-delivered interventions were eligible. PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Embase online databases were last searched on April 5th, 2023, and the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool was used to assess the study quality. Correlations between treatment credibility and outcomes, and therapist credibility were calculated separately. RESULTS: Analysis of 27 studies revealed a positive association between perceived treatment credibility and treatment outcome (r = 0.15,95%CI = 0.09,0.21,p < 0.001,n = 2061). Nine studies showed a strong association between perceived therapist credibility and outcome (r = 0.35,95%CI = 0.18,0.51;p < .001,n = 1161). No significant moderator found in both meta-analyses. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that clients' perceptions of higher credibility - whether concerning the treatment or the therapist - are associated with better therapeutic outcomes. Constraints in inclusion criteria and the small sample size in eligible studies were notable limitations.

Predictors of homework engagement in group CBT for social anxiety: client beliefs about homework, its consequences, group cohesion, and working alliance.

OBJECTIVE: Group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD) is effective, but little data exist on generic relational components of the therapeutic process, such as group cohesion and therapy alliance, and central CBT-specific components such as homework engagement, beliefs, and perceived consequences. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between homework, group cohesion, and working alliance during group CBT for social anxiety disorder. METHOD: Participants (N = 105) with SAD engaged in 12 sessions of group CBT. Measures of homework, working alliance, and group cohesion were completed at multiple points throughout treatment. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to evaluate the prospective relationships between measures. RESULTS: Prospective relationships between the homework outcomes did not vary throughout the treatment period, with the only significant relationships seen between the random intercepts ("trait" levels). Homework beliefs were a significant negative predictor of future group cohesion, but only in mid- to late-treatment. Homework consequences and working alliance were significantly and positively predictive of each other throughout therapy. CONCLUSION: Early homework engagement is associated with higher engagement throughout therapy. Working alliance and homework engagement are important to bolster early in group CBT.Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12616000579493..

Development of a new observer-rated measure to assess the real relationship in psychotherapy sessions.

OBJECTIVES: Real relationship (RR) refers to a genuine human relationship between client and therapist, that has been found to be positively related to treatment outcome, and to predict unique variance in outcome over and above the working alliance. However, thus far, the measurement of RR has been limited to self-report. We aimed to develop an observer-rated version of the RR measure (RR-O) to assess RR in therapy sessions. METHODS: We adapted items from the self-report measures to an observer rated measure, which was reviewed by RR experts. The final 24-item RR-O was rated in 540 session transcripts from 27 psychoanalytic treatments that already had existing process and outcome scores. RESULTS: The RR-O showed good internal consistency and good interrater reliability. In hierarchical EFA, items clustered into a general RR factor, and client realism, client genuineness, therapist genuineness, and therapist realism group factors. In addition, the RR-O was positively related to another RR measure and to the therapeutic alliance. CONCLUSION: The RR-O shows initial reliability and validity as an observer-rated measure of the RR to be used in post-hoc psychotherapy research. Future research should clarify the relation between RR-O and treatment outcome.

Development and validation of an 8-item version of the Real Relationship Inventory-Client form.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a very brief version of the 24-item Real Relationship Inventory-Client (RRI-C) form. METHOD: Two independent samples of individual psychotherapy patients (Nsample1 = 700, Nsample2 = 434) completed the RRI-C along with other measures. Psychometric scale shortening involved exploratory factor analysis, item response theory analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and multigroup CFA. Reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of the scale and subscales were also assessed. RESULTS: The 8-item RRI-C (RRI-C-SF) preserves the two-factor structure: Genuineness (k = 4, α = .86) and Realism (k = 4, α = .87), which were correlated at r = .74. CFA provided the following fit indices for the bifactor model: X2/df = 2.16, CFI = .99, TLI = .96, RMSEA = .07, and SRMR = .03. Multigroup CFA showed that the RRI-C-SF was invariant across in-person and remote session formats. The RRI-C-SF demonstrated high reliability (α = .91); high correlation with the full-length scale (r = .96); and excellent convergent and discriminant validity with measures of other elements of the therapeutic relationship, personality characteristics, current mental health state, and demographic-clinical variables. Clinical change benchmarks were calculated to serve as valuable tools for both research and clinical practice. CONCLUSION: The RRI-C-SF is a reliable measure that can be used for both research and clinical purposes. It enables a nuanced assessment of the genuineness and the realism dimensions of the real relationship.

Facilitators of and Barriers to the Therapeutic Nurse-Patient Relationship: Perceptions From Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic relationship serves as a cornerstone in psychiatric mental health nursing practice, providing a basis for implementing various interventions. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of psychiatric mental health nurses regarding factors that facilitate and impede the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted among psychiatric mental health nurses employed at two community psychiatric hospitals in the northeast area of the United States. A list of facilitators and barriers was developed based on an extensive literature review and subsequently validated by three experts in the field of psychiatric mental health nursing. Participants rated these factors on a 10-point scale. RESULTS: The study included 74 registered nurses from two psychiatric hospitals, yielding a 24% response rate. The highest-ranked facilitator was awareness that the relationship enables collaborative goal setting with patients. The most significant barrier was insufficient time due to administrative tasks. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of understanding facilitators and barriers in the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Replicating the study nationally on a larger scale among psychiatric mental health nurses is recommended.

Beyond Language Deficits: Working Alliance and Resources as Predictors of Recovery From Aphasia.

Large-scale clinical trials and meta-analyses have determined neurobiological and linguistic predictors of recovery from aphasia, while more recent work is opening the field to factors of efficacy previously established in psychiatry-and little known in neurology. To map this evolving area of research, the present essay explores key factors of efficacy in psychotherapy as potential predictors of recovery from aphasia. In particular, the essay addresses (1) working alliance, including consensus between patient and therapist on treatment goals and tasks alongside interpersonal bonds, as well as (2) focus on resources rather than deficits in language performance. Finally, the essay outlines why research on impaired communication ability may help advance and complement existing methods in psychotherapy.

Therapists who foster social identification build stronger therapeutic working alliance and have better client outcomes.

BACKGROUND: For decades we have known that therapeutic working alliance is a key contributor to client engagement and positive outcomes in therapy. However, we have made little progress in narrowing down its determinants, which is critical in supporting trainees to optimize such alliance. We make a case for the value of incorporating social psychological frameworks into models of alliance and explore the role of social identity processes in the development of therapeutic alliance. METHOD: Across two studies, over 500 psychotherapy clients completed validated measures of alliance, social identification with their therapist, positive therapy outcomes, and a range of client and therapist characteristics. FINDINGS: Social identification strongly predicted alliance in both samples, whereas client and therapist characteristics showed few such associations. Alliance mediated the relationship between social identification and positive therapy outcomes. In addition, we found evidence that (a) personal control is a key psychological resource in therapy that arises from social identification, and (b) therapists who engage in identity leadership (i.e., who represent and build a social identity that they share with clients) are more likely to foster social identification and its downstream benefits. INTERPRETATION: These data show that social identity processes are key to the emergence of working alliance. We conclude with a discussion of how recent social identity and identity leadership interventions might be adapted to train therapists in relevant identity-building skills.

The therapeutic relationship in community mental health services: a systematic review of the literature.

PURPOSE: This systematic review aimed to investigate the therapeutic relationship (TR) between mental health professionals (MHPs) and their patients in community mental health services (CMHS). METHODS: PubMed (Medline), PsycINFO, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched for studies that assessed TR in CMHS using quantitative measures developed specifically for this setting (i.e., Helping Alliance Scale [HAS] and the Scale to Assess the Therapeutic Relationship [STAR]). Studies were included if they considered adult patients with a psychiatric disorder and/or any MHP working in CMHS. Meta-analysis and narrative synthesis assessed the association between patients' and MHPs' ratings and identified predictors of TR. RESULTS: Of 1934 studies, 15 were included in the review, including 3004 patients. A total of 1127 patients and 963 MHPs were considered in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity of the studies was high, and there was no significant difference between the patients' and MHPs' TR ratings in the random-effects model (standardized mean difference [SMD]: - 0.39 [95% CI: - 1.03; 0.24]). In the multivariable meta-regression, only duration of illness was significantly associated with TR ratings (unstandardized regression coefficient [B]: 0.388 [95% CI: 0.217; 0.558]). A recovery-oriented service, shared decision-making, and the recognition of patient needs contributed to more positive TR ratings. CONCLUSION: Patients and MHPs converged in their TR ratings, although patients gave lower ratings. Routine assessment of TR in CMHS can inform reflective practice and service development, as TR can be assessed easily and early in the treatment process. Future research should focus on developing and testing interventions to improve TR in CMHS.

Acts of negotiation: toward a grounded theory of nursing practice in chronic wound care in Austria.

BACKGROUND: Demographic change and the rise of diabetes mellitus are leading to a projected increase in the prevalence of chronic wounds. People suffering from chronic wounds experience significant losses in their health-related quality of life. Health systems struggle to meet the needs of these persons, even in high-income countries. This paper explores wound nurses' perspectives on their professional practice in Austria. They play a key role as they do much of the treatment work, contribute to advancing the field, and enable interprofessional coordination. Their perspectives enable insights into how a health system provides care for elderly and chronically ill people. METHODS: We used the Constructivist Grounded Theory framework to analyse transcripts of 14 semi-structured qualitative interviews with nurses who work in different treatment settings. RESULTS: We identified three themes. Firstly, the interviewees characterise working with patients as a balancing act between offering enough support to build a trustful relationship while protecting themselves against the overwhelming situation of caring for a chronically ill person. Secondly, the interviewees compensate for nonexistent care pathways by building informal networks with doctors, which requires delicate relationship work. Thirdly, the study participants must prove their competence in every new professional encounter. Their need for professional autonomy clashes with the traditional doctor-nurse hierarchy. Based on these insights, we propose a grounded theory that conceives of nursing practice in terms of 'acts of negotiations'. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that wound nurses in Austria operate in an institutional environment whose outdated imagination of the nursing role is at odds with the care demands that arise from a growing number of elderly and chronically ill people. We detailed the 'acts of negotiation' nurses deploy to compensate for this situation. We identify areas for policy intervention to strengthen the autonomy of wound nurses, including access to statutory health insurance billing.

'It's not like real therapy': young people receiving child welfare services' experiences of video consultations in mental healthcare in Norway: a mixed methods approach.

BACKGROUND: Video consultations has been suggested to lower the threshold for child and adolescent mental healthcare treatment. This study explores how young people receiving child welfare services experience video consultations in child and adolescent mental healthcare. The study is part of a larger Norwegian study of access to health services for this target group. METHODS: The study has a mixed methods design including qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey, with young people receiving child welfare services. The qualitative interviews included 10 participants aged 15-19. The survey included 232 participants aged 16-24 of which 36 reported having received video consultations in mental healthcare. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The survey data was presented as frequencies to clarify the distribution of positive and negative perceptions of video consultation. RESULTS: The results show that the participants experienced video consultations as more superficial and less binding, compared to in-person sessions. They raised concerns of the therapeutic relationship, however some found it easier to regulate closeness and distance. In the survey several reported that their relationship with the therapist got worse, and that it was much more difficult to talk on screen. Moreover, a large proportion (42%) claimed that video consultations did not fit their treatment needs overall. However, a minority of the participants found it easier to talk to the therapist on screen. CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals important weaknesses and disadvantages of online therapy as experienced by young people receiving child welfare services. It is particularly worrying that their criticism involves the relational aspects of treatment, as children receiving child welfare services often have relational experiences which make them particularly sensitive to challenges in relationships. This study shows that youth involvement in decision making of video consultations in therapy has been rare. Clinicians should be aware of these young people's doubts regarding the quality of video consultations in child and adolescent mental health care. Further studies should examine how user involvement can be incorporated in video consultations in therapy and how this could improve experiences and the quality of video consultations.

Perceptions of the key components of effective, acceptable and accessible services for children and young people experiencing common mental health problems: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Children and young people's (CYP) mental health is a major public health concern internationally and the recent Covid-19 pandemic has amplified these concerns. However, only a minority of CYP receive support from mental health services due to the attitudinal and structural barriers they and their families encounter. For over 20 years, report after report has consistently highlighted the shortcomings of mental health services for CYP in the United Kingdom and attempts to improve services have been largely unsuccessful. The findings reported in this paper are from a multi-stage study that aimed to develop a model of effective, high-quality service design for CYP experiencing common mental health problems. The aim of the stage reported here was to identify CYP's, parents' and service providers' perceptions of the effectiveness, acceptability and accessibility of services. METHODS: Case studies were conducted of nine different services for CYP with common mental health problems in England and Wales. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 41 young people, 26 parents and 41 practitioners and were analysed using the Framework approach. Patient and Public Involvement was integrated throughout the study with a group of young co-researchers participating in data collection and analysis. RESULTS: Four key themes defined participants' perceptions of service effectiveness, acceptability and accessibility. Firstly, open access to support with participants highlighting the importance of self-referral, support at the point of need and service availability to CYP/parents. Secondly, the development of therapeutic relationships to promote service engagement which was based on assessment of practitioner's personal qualities, interpersonal skills and mental health expertise and underpinned by relational continuity. Thirdly, personalisation was viewed as promoting service appropriateness and effectiveness by ensuring support was tailored to the individual. Fourthly, the development of self-care skills and mental health literacy helped CYP/parents manage and improve their/their child's mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to knowledge by identifying four components that are perceived to be central to providing effective, acceptable and accessible mental health services for CYP with common mental health problems irrespective of service model or provider. These components could be used as the foundations for designing and improving services.

Therapeutic Relational Connection in Telehealth: Concept Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic relational connection (TRC) in telehealth is a new concept that refers to the intentional use of relationship connection between health care providers and their patients as both parties work toward a therapeutic aim. It has been demonstrated that TRC positively affects patient-centered outcomes including adherence, self-management, and satisfaction with care. What is not known are best practices for establishing TRC during telehealth visits. The rapid emergence of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic has identified a number of challenges. These challenges include lack of human contact, distance creating mistrust, the inability to rely on nonverbal communication, and a sense of depersonalization. Training for health care providers in these interpersonal communication skills needed to establish TRC during telehealth visits is needed. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to explore the evolutionary concept of TRC in telehealth. The purpose of this paper is to provide a concept analysis of TRC during telehealth interactions between providers and patients through a comprehensive review of the existing published literature. METHODS: Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis method was used to guide this study. PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were used to search for relevant publications. An integrative review strategy aided by Rayyan software was used to identify a final sample of 13 papers for analysis. RESULTS: The proposed definition of TRC in telehealth is the experience of a mutually responsive patient-provider relationship that is built on mutual respect and understanding and informed by cultural humility, presence, empathy, and the ability to effectively evaluate patient concerns to work toward a therapeutic aim. The key attributes of TRC in telehealth are the provider's ability to evaluate patient concerns, interpersonal communication, cultural humility, mutual trust and respect, presence, empathy, and building relationships. Clinical presence, proper environment, knowledge about the use of technology (both patient and provider), use of verbal and nonverbal communication, and knowledge about community and culture are important antecedents of TRC. Consequences of TRC include improved communication resulting in mutual respect and caring, adherence to follow-up recommendations, increased coping, collaborative decision-making, and satisfaction with care. CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth visits necessitate alternative approaches to establishing TRC as compared to in-person clinic visits. With the rapid expansion of telehealth platforms and a heightened acceptance of the technology, there is a need to integrate knowledge and provide a clear conceptualization of TRC in telehealth as TRC has been demonstrated to result in positive patient-centered outcomes. Identifying the attributes and antecedents of TRC in telehealth allows us the opportunity to develop guidelines and educational interventions aimed at training health care providers in the skills needed to establish TRC during telehealth visits.

Awareness through relationships in individuals undergoing rehabilitation following acquired brain injury.

AIM: This cross-sectional study investigated the association between self-awareness and quality of therapeutic relationships following acquired brain injury (ABI) while controlling for the potential impact of cognitive problems. It also aimed to investigate attachment as a potential moderator. METHOD: 83 adults with ABI were recruited alongside a key member of their community neurorehabilitation team. The Scale to Assess Therapeutic Relationships (STAR) was used to measure therapeutic relationship quality and attachment was measured using the Experiences in Close Relationships - Relationship Structure (ECR-RS) questionnaire. Awareness was measured using the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS) and the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI-4) provided a measure of cognitive problems. The MPAI-4 also provided an additional measure of awareness. RESULTS: A significant association between self-awareness and therapeutic relationships was found in some regression models such that higher-quality relationships were associated with better awareness, after controlling for the impact of cognitive problems. Neither childhood parental attachment nor participants' attachment towards their rehabilitation staff were moderators. CONCLUSION: The observed associations between awareness in clients and therapeutic relationships with rehabilitation staff may have importance for rehabilitation in this context. Results highlight the value of continuing to prioritize the therapeutic relational environment in ABI rehabilitation and research.

Cancer patients' experiences of moments of relational depth during psychological therapy: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Research into psychological interventions for cancer patients has focused on the effectiveness of different treatment methods. Investigating common factors across treatments, such as qualities within the therapeutic relationship, has been neglected. This study explores cancer patients' experiences of moments of profound contact and engagement with their therapist, including any perceived impact. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten cancer patients. Eight participants reported having experienced moments of relational depth. Their transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Five themes were identified: "Being physically and psychically vulnerable," "Being rescued from the waves," "Experiencing the calm after the storm," "More than a feeling," and "The therapist as 'a stranger and not a stranger'." CONCLUSION: Both novice and experienced practitioners should be aware of the potential power of moments of relational depth for cancer patients: to normalize patients' increased vulnerability and emotionality, and to manage breaks and endings with relational sensitivity.