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Despite widespread clinical, theoretical, and empirical support for the importance of alliance ruptures, little is known about the underlying biological level at times of rupture. The overarching goal of the present study was to investigate dyadic patterns of in-session oxytocin (OT) change between patients and therapists (e.g., patient's OT increases more than therapist's OT) as markers of withdrawal ruptures. Hypothesis 1 construed that OT incongruence (e.g., larger patient increase in OT in comparison to their therapist OT increase) will mark the occurrence of withdrawal ruptures. Hypothesis 2 construed that this effect of OT incongruence will be more pronounced when anxious attachment orientation is low. Surface analysis was conducted on 628 saliva samples that were gathered before and after therapeutic sessions of 53 patient-therapist dyads enrolled in a randomized control trial treating major depression. Only Hypothesis 2 received empirical support, meaning it was only when anxious attachment orientation was low that there were significantly more withdrawal ruptures when the patient's OT increase was higher than their therapist's OT increase. This is consistent with the literature, suggesting that in times of withdrawal ruptures, the patient and therapist are in an incongruent state. Findings suggest that this incongruence is mirrored at the biological level only when anxious attachment orientation is low. Results shed light on what may be happening between patients and therapists on a biological level during a withdrawal rupture. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: Oxytocin (OT) synchrony has been suggested as a key mechanism by which bonds are formed and strengthened in various species, including those between mother and infant and between romantic partners. It is unknown whether such biological synchrony also plays a role in psychotherapy efficacy, where it may underlie the adverse effect of social impairment on the efficacy of treatment of depression., Method: Five hundred eighty OT saliva samples were collected from 37 patient-therapist dyads on a fixed schedule over a 16-session ongoing randomized controlled trial for psychotherapy for depression. Biological synchrony was operationalized as the correlation between changes occurring repeatedly over treatment in patient and therapist OT levels pre- to postsession., Results: OT synchrony between patients and therapists was found to be associated with effective treatment. The findings support the proposed mediation model: (a) poorer social functioning at baseline predicted lower levels of patient-therapist synchrony in OT changes from pre- to postsession over the course of treatment; (b) lower levels of therapist-patient OT synchrony, in turn, predicted less reduction in depressive symptoms during treatment; and (c) based on quasi-Bayesian Monte Carlo simulations, the levels of therapist-patient synchrony significantly mediated the association between social impairment and reduction in depressive symptoms. Findings were replicated using robust inferential methods., Conclusions: The findings suggest that OT synchrony between patient and therapist may be a biological mechanism by which impaired interpersonal functioning undermines treatment outcome. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The therapeutic alliance is one of the most consistent predictors of therapeutic change, including symptom reduction and improvement in wellbeing and quality of life, across a variety of mental health interventions. Yet, little is known about its biological mechanisms. Oxytocin (OT) has been suggested as a biological mechanism by which bonds are formed and strengthened across species. This article is intended to demonstrate the potential of OT as a biomarker of therapeutic change in psychotherapy and counseling psychology, especially of the therapeutic alliance. We delineate three main potential paths of investigation based on the most recent research on OT in parent-child and romantic partner dyads. For each path, we provide a detailed explanation for whom, when, and how OT should be measured. Each path is illustrated using data collected in a randomized controlled trial of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder. These illustrations demonstrate the great potential of OT as a biomarker of (a) trait-like characteristics of the patients and the therapists, (b) the processes of therapeutic change, and (c) the dyadic synchrony between patients and their therapists. The potential clinical contribution of OT as a biomarker for each of these three paths is further demonstrated using a case study. Practical suggestions and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).