# Exploring How People With Intellectual Disabilities Experience the Therapeutic Alliance: A ‘Best Fit’ Framework Analysis Using Bordin's Model

## TL;DR

This study explores how people with intellectual disabilities experience therapy, finding that Bordin's model of therapeutic alliance applies with an added emphasis on therapist advocacy.

## Contribution

The study adapts Bordin's therapeutic alliance model to include advocacy as a key component for people with intellectual disabilities.

## Key findings

- Bordin's core themes of bond, task, and goals were supported in the analysis.
- An additional theme of therapist advocacy outside therapy was identified.
- The model shows applicability to people with intellectual disabilities in therapeutic settings.

## Abstract

There is an increasing interest in therapeutic alliance within talking therapy for people with intellectual disability. The applicability of frameworks such as Bordin's (1979) model of therapy alliance has not been considered.

A review of qualitative literature on people with intellectual disability's experience of talking therapy identified 23 papers. A ‘best fit’ framework synthesis was used to explore the applicability of Bordin's model to the experiences of people with intellectual disability in therapy.

The analysis supported Bordin's core themes of bond, task and goals. An additional theme was identified concerning the extension of the therapist's role to include active advocacy and support in the lives of people with intellectual disability outside of therapy.

This study identified the experience of people with intellectual disability in therapy as consistent with Bordin's model and suggests that further research specific to the model would be productive.