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. 2017 Jul;44(4):431-440.
doi: 10.1007/s10488-015-0655-8.

Patient-Provider Therapeutic Alliance Contributes to Patient Activation in Community Mental Health Clinics

Michele L Allen  1 , Benjamin Lê Cook  2   3 , Nicholas Carson  2   3 , Alejandro Interian  4 , Martin La Roche  3   5 , Margarita Alegría  2   3
Affiliations

Patient-Provider Therapeutic Alliance Contributes to Patient Activation in Community Mental Health Clinics

Michele L Allen et al. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Patient activation, often conceptualized as an individual trait, contributes to mental health outcomes. This study assessed the relational contributors to activation by estimating the longitudinal association of patient-provider communication and two factors of therapeutic alliance (agreement on tasks/goals and bond), with patient activation. Participants were patients (n = 264) from 13 community-based mental health clinics across the United States. In multivariate models, controlling for patients' individual and clinical characteristics, the task/goal factor of therapeutic alliance emerged as a significant and independent predictor of greater change in patient activation scores. Improving patient activation may require addressing patient-provider interactions such as coming to collaborative agreement on the tasks/goals of care.

Keywords: Mental health; Patient activation; Professional-patient relations.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Conceptual Model
Figure 2
Figure 2. Timing of Participant Interviews
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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