The Therapeutic Relationship in an International School Counseling Setting In Thailand

Adolescents in international school settings often navigate developmental and cross-cultural transitions that can influence their engagement with school counseling services. Although the therapeutic relationship or alliance is a well-established predictor of positive outcomes, limited research has examined how alliance processes function among multicultural adolescents or which counselor competencies facilitate the development of the alliance in international school settings. This qualitative multiple-case study explored (1) how the therapeutic relationship contributes to positive counseling outcomes among international high school students, and (2) which counselor qualities support the development of this change-inducing alliance, that is, a therapeutic alliance that facilitates positive counseling outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six counselor-student dyads across two international secondary schools in Thailand and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that the therapeutic relationship contributed to positive outcomes through interpersonal processes that support students’ autonomy, emotional safety, collaboration, and interpersonal connection with the counselor. Counselor qualities including empathy, warmth, curiosity, flexibility, emotional steadiness, and culturally responsive communication were identified as facilitating alliance development in response to students’ developmental and sociocultural needs.