MINI REVIEW article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Psychological Therapy and Psychosomatics
How Factors of the Therapeutic Alliance Interact with Oxytocin Neurotransmission in Psychotherapy
Provisionally accepted
Marcus Eckert*
Eva Schandro- APOLLON University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, Germany
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Abstract Oxytocin (OT) neurotransmission has emerged as a promising target for alleviating psychiatric symptoms associated with depression, stress, and fear. This mini-review focuses on the therapeutic alliance, highlighting five core components: (1) attachment, (2) empathy, (3) social synchrony, (4) trust and cooperation, and (5) social support. We explore how these factors both influence and are modulated by the oxytocinergic system. Based on current empirical evidence, we propose a conceptual framework in which OT-mediated mechanisms dynamically and reciprocally strengthen the therapeutic alliance. We postulate that activation of the OT system by one or more of these components may synergistically enhance all alliance factors, creating a self-reinforcing cycle with potential therapeutic benefits. Finally, we discuss the clinical implications of this model and identify key avenues for future research.
Keywords: Oxytocin, Therapeutic Alliance, Attachment, Empathy, Social synchrony, cooperation, social support
Received: 04 Jul 2025; Accepted: 21 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Eckert and Schandro. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Marcus Eckert, marcus.eckert@apollon-hochschule.de
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