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Working Alliance Inventory – Short Form (WAI-S)

Working Alliance Inventory – Short Form (WAI-S) Test

Understand how well therapist and client align on goals, tasks, and trust in just 3 minutes. This 11 item check-in spots gaps early and supports stronger, more effective sessions.

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Questions: 113 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

22,082 views

1,531 completion

1,276 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

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How the Scales are Structured

example score

25/77

Therapeutic Alliance (TA)

Assesses the quality of the client–therapist working relationship across agreement on goals, collaboration on tasks, and emotional bond.

Low alliance

Moderate alliance

Strong alliance

11 – 33: Low alliance | 34 – 55: Moderate alliance | 56 – 77: Strong alliance

A score of 25 falls in the Low alliance range, suggesting weaker agreement on goals/tasks or a less established bond at this time.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Practicing psychotherapists

44%OF USERS

Therapists use it to quickly check how aligned they are with a client on goals, tasks, and trust and to spot issues early.

Therapy clients

33%OF USERS

Clients take it to express how understood and supported they feel and whether the work in sessions matches their expectations.

Supervisors and clinic leads

23%OF USERS

Supervisors or team leads use it to monitor alliance quality across cases and guide corrective feedback or treatment planning.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

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Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Therapeutic Alliance Scale (TAS)

Average

Normal range

29.7 — 50.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures the strength of the working relationship between therapist and client. It focuses on agreement about goals, agreement about tasks, and the bond or level of trust.

Who should complete the questionnaire?

There are two versions: one completed by the client and one completed by the therapist. Using both versions allows comparison of perspectives on the same relationship.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

It includes 11 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Responses are based on the current therapy relationship.

When should it be administered during therapy?

It can be used early in treatment and repeated during ongoing work. Repeated use helps track changes in collaboration and address problems promptly.

How should differences between client and therapist ratings be interpreted?

Large differences may indicate mismatched expectations, unclear goals or tasks, or a weakened sense of connection. The results should be used to guide discussion and adjust the treatment plan as needed.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Method for Measuring the Psychotherapeutic Alliance, WAI-S Test

Working Alliance Inventory – Short Form (WAI-S) Test - Symptoms and Signs

psychotherapy

This measure is used in psychotherapy to assess the quality of the collaborative relationship between therapist and client. The Working Alliance Inventory - Short Form (WAI-S) provides a brief, structured appraisal of key alliance components, including agreement on goals, agreement on tasks, and the relational bond.

Developed by Adam O. Horvath and Leslie S. Greenberg, it consists of 11 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. It may be administered to support clinical monitoring over the course of treatment and to guide discussion when perceptions of the working relationship appear discrepant. In routine practice, the Working Alliance Inventory - Short Form (WAI-S) can be used to help identify alliance strengths and potential barriers to engagement that may warrant clarification or intervention.

Author: Adam O. Horvath, Leslie S. Greenberg

Literature: Bordin, E. S. The generalizability of the psychoanalytic concept of the working alliance. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice. 1979.; Tracey, T. J., & Kokotovic, A. M. Factor structure of the Working Alliance Inventory. Psychological Assessment. 1989.; Horvath, A. O., & Greenberg, L. S. Development and validation of the Working Alliance Inventory. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 1989.

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