Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of
the Turkish version of Client Attachment to Therapist Scale (CATSTR)
which provides a framework for measuring and conceptualizing the
relationship between the therapist and the client.
Method: The study included 191 individuals with a mean age of
24.41 years who had received a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15
sessions of therapy for different psychological problems. All participants
completed the CATS-TR, the Early Close Relationships-R (ECR-R),
the Bell Object Relations Inventory (BORRTI), and the Working
Alliance Inventory (WAI-SF), and a Client Information Form handed
to the clients in a closed envelope by their respective therapists.
Results: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis results indicated
an acceptable fit for the CATS-TR which comprised the Secure,
Fearful/Avoidant and Preoccupied/Merger subscales, with internal
consistency levels ranging between 0.71 and 0.85. Criterion validity
analyses showed that the scores on the CATS-TR Fearful/Avoidant and
Preoccupied/Merger subscales correlated with the scores on the ECR-R
Avoidance/Anxiety subdimesnions and the BORRTI Object Relations
subdimension in the expected directions. Also, the mean score on the
CATS-TR Secure Attachment subscale was a significant predictor of the
therapeutic alliance assessed by the WAI-SF and its subscales.
Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that the CATS-TR has an
acceptable level of validity and reliability with results indicating its
usefulness for research and clinical settings in Turkey investigating the
common factors bringing about change in psychotherapy.
Keywords: Attachment to therapist, therapeutic alliance, measuring
attachment in psychotherapy