Brief Revised Working Alliance Inventory (BR-WAI)
What it is
The BR-WAI (Brief Revised Working Alliance Inventory) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the quality of the relationship between a therapist and their client. This relationship, known as the therapeutic alliance, is crucial to the effectiveness of therapy. It includes the emotional bond between the client and therapist, agreement on therapy goals, and collaboration on the tasks needed to achieve those goals.
The BR-WAI is a shortened version of the original Working Alliance Inventory, making it quicker to administer while still providing a reliable measure of how well the therapeutic relationship is working. This can help both therapists and clients understand the strength of their working alliance and make adjustments if needed.
How is it used
The BR-WAI is suitable for adults and typically takes about 5 minutes to complete. It’s often used in therapy settings to get a snapshot of how the client feels about their relationship with their therapist. This feedback can be especially valuable for improving therapy outcomes, as a strong working alliance is linked to better progress in treatment.
Clients can complete the questionnaire at various points during therapy, allowing therapists to monitor changes in the relationship over time. It can also help identify areas that may need attention, such as clarifying therapy goals or improving communication.
What do the scores mean?
The BR-WAI consists of 12 questions, each rated on a scale from 1 (rarely) to 7 (always). The questions cover three key aspects of the therapeutic alliance:
- Bond: The emotional connection and trust between the client and therapist.
- Goals: Agreement on the therapeutic objectives and what the client wants to achieve.
- Tasks: Collaboration on the methods and steps needed to reach those goals.
The scores for each question are summed up to give a total score ranging from 12 to 84, with higher scores indicating a stronger therapeutic alliance. Here’s how to interpret the total score:
- 12 to 36: Indicates a weak therapeutic alliance. The client may not feel fully connected to the therapist or aligned on goals and tasks. It may be helpful to address these concerns in session.
- 37 to 60: Reflects a moderate alliance. There is some level of trust and agreement, but there might still be areas for improvement to strengthen the relationship.
- 61 to 84: Suggests a strong working alliance. The client likely feels understood, supported, and aligned with the therapist on therapy goals and methods.
In addition to the total score, the BR-WAI can help pinpoint specific areas where the alliance could be improved. For example, if the score is lower in the Bond section, it may indicate a need to build trust and rapport, while a lower score in Tasks might suggest that the client and therapist need to clarify how they are working toward their goals.
What does the research say?
The BR-WAI is based on years of research into the therapeutic relationship and has been shown to be both reliable (consistent results) and valid (accurately measuring the quality of the alliance). The shorter, 12-item format retains the core components of the original inventory while being quicker to complete, making it ideal for busy clinical settings.
One of the main strengths of the BR-WAI is its focus on the client’s perspective, providing therapists with valuable feedback on how their clients feel about the therapeutic process. This can guide adjustments to enhance the therapeutic relationship and ultimately improve treatment outcomes.
Developer
Mallinckrodt & Tekie (2015). Revision of the Working Alliance Inventory and Development of a Brief Revised Version Guided by Item Response Theory.