36

Attachment, which has to do with the emotional bond to significant, irreplaceable people (attachment figures), is useful in the regulation of emotions in order to explore the world and as a refuge in times of distress. While the therapeutic relationship is inherently different to early attachment relationships, some characteristics of the attachment relationship may apply to it, particularly the fact that one of the functions of the therapist is to act as a « secure base » for the client. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between attachment to the therapist, the client’s adult attachment style, and the therapeutic alliance. The sample included twenty-nine adolescents, seen by five therapists. Three self-administered questionnaires were used: a measure of attachment to the therapist (CATS), an adult attachment style scale (RSQ), and a measure of therapeutic alliance (HAq-II). The results show that (1) client attachment to the therapist was not related to the adult attachment style and (2) client attachment to the therapist (but not the adult attachment style) was a strong predictor of the level of therapeutic alliance. Moreover, the attachment style evolved over the course of the therapy. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of the therapist as a secure base and confirm the interest of this variable for better understanding how to build a good working alliance.