ABSTRACT
One of the robust findings in the psychotherapeutic research literature is that the quality of the alliance, as measured in different ways, from different perspectives, and in different treatment models, is a powerful predictor of treatment outcome. Inherent in all forms of psychotherapy is an effort to educate patients about the nature of their disorders, about the variety of factors that contribute to their problems, and about the goals and tasks of psychotherapy. A number of theorists have highlighted the role of hope in the change process. In fact, one can look upon the history of psychotherapy, and to some degree the history of medicine, as a testament to the role that hope plays in the healing process. In most instances, psychiatric disorders are episodic in nature. For example, in the area of depressive disorders, despite aggressive pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches, approximately 15% of patients remain chronically depressed.
