Digital Commons @ SPU

Exploring the therapeutic alliance in EFT when addressing race and cultural differences.

This study aims to explore the therapeutic alliance in EFT when addressing race and cultural difference between a non-white client and a white therapist. This quantitative study will survey 100 non-white clients receiving therapy from a white therapist. Subjects will participate in 10 sessions of therapy with a white therapist practicing EFT. Half of the clients will see a traditional EFT therapist, while the other half will see an EFT therapist who has gone through specialized training in cultural attunement. Using a modified Helping Alliance Questionnaire (Luborsky, et al. 1996), with additional questions concerning race and culture, we will measure the therapeutic alliance at the end of the ten sessions. We hypothesize that the therapeutic alliance will be stronger with the white therapists who address race and power differentials with non-white clients, which leads to effective EFT.