Treatment expectations, alliance, session positivity, and outcome: an investigation of a three-path mediation model.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test a 3-path mediation model, in which the effect of treatment expectations on outcome is mediated first by the alliance and then by session positivity.

Method: Archival process and outcome data were used for this investigation. These data had been collected from 116 clients (70% female, 81% White, mean age = 24.