An updated meta-analysis of the relation between adult attachment style and working alliance.

Previous meta-analyses have shown that client-rated working alliance is negatively correlated with attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. The purpose of this study is to provide an updated meta-analysis of the relation between alliance and the two dimensions of attachment insecurity. Random effects models were used to examine the relation between the working alliance and attachment anxiety and the relation between the working alliance and attachment avoidance. The overall relation between alliance and attachment anxiety was  = -.09 (= .01,  = 33,  = 43.7%). The overall relation between alliance and attachment avoidance was  = -.13 ( .001,  = 33,  = 44.7%). There was no evidence that these relations varied across study characteristics such as client race or the number of therapists in the study. The results support the negative relations between client-rated alliance and both dimensions of client-rated attachment insecurity. Further research is needed to identify the factors that moderate this relationship, using a more diverse sample of study characteristics and a wider range of measures.