Improving the therapeutic relationship in inpatient psychiatric care: Assessment of the therapeutic alliance and empathy after implementing evidence-based practices resulting from participatory action research.

PURPOSE: To examine how evidence about the therapeutic alliance gleaned from participatory action project affected the level of this alliance and the degree of empathy of psychiatric nurses.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Quasi-experimental study in two psychiatric units. In one group, evidence-based practices that affected the therapeutic alliance were implemented; in the comparison group, there was no such intervention.

FINDINGS: The nurses from the intervention group improved their degree of empathy and factors such as agreement on objectives and tasks with the patient.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The results confirm the possibility of measuring and improving the therapeutic relationship in psychiatric care.