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This study examined how clients' self-image and perception of therapist's behavior are related to the therapeutic alliance, as well as how these variables change in the psychotherapy process in trainee-led psychotherapy. A total of 164 participants (M = 28.9 years) who attended two semesters of treatment at the Psychology Clinic of Umeå University completed the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) to evaluate their perception of their alliance with the therapist. They also completed two questionnaires based on the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) model to give insight into their self-image patterns and to analyze their perceptions of the therapist's behavior. The results show that a positive self-image and positive perceptions of the therapist's actions increased significantly over the course of the therapy, with a corresponding decrease in negative patterns. The alliance scores show that the therapeutic alliance gains significance over time and that it is influenced more by the perception of the therapist's behavior than by the self-image. The self-image becomes relevant after the mid part of therapy, underlining the role of the therapist in co-creating the treatment relationship. The implications of these results are discussed, and so are directions for future research in other trainee-led settings and samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trance-dancing culture in Israel is expressed by dance parties held in open, rather than closed, spaces. This research wished to investigate the effect of open-air dancing on self-image, body image, and subjective well-being. This is a combined quantitative and qualitative research study, with 72 participants, 25 males and 47 females, ages 18-30. The results indicate a positive correlation between the degree to which young people prefer open-air parties and the level of their body image, but no positive connection was found between self-image and participation in open-air parties. Young people who greatly prefer participating in open-air parties report a higher level of subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]