Social Desirability, Formation of the Therapeutic Alliance, and Dyadic Adjustment in Couples Therapy

Abstract

Social desirability has been shown to have both positive and negative associations in the formation of intimate and professional relationships. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship that social desirability has with therapeutic alliance and change in dyadic adjustment in couples therapy. Social desirability was found to be positively related to the therapeutic alliance for males. Social desirability was not found to be associated with therapeutic alliance for females, or with change in dyadic adjustment for males or females.