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Working Alliance Inventory–Short Form (WAI-S)

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

Understand how strong the therapist client bond feels in about 2 minutes. Ten quick items support side by side feedback to spot gaps early and keep care aligned.

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Questions: 102 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

22,902 views

2,348 completions

1,877 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

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How the Scales are Structured

example score

45/70

Therapeutic Alliance (TA)

Measures the strength of the working relationship between client and therapist, including agreement on goals and tasks and the emotional bond.

Low alliance

Moderate alliance

High alliance

10 – 34: Low alliance | 35 – 54: Moderate alliance | 55 – 70: High alliance

A score of 45 indicates a moderate therapeutic alliance, suggesting a generally workable connection with some areas that may benefit from further alignment or discussion.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Practicing psychotherapists

46%OF USERS

Therapists use it to quickly check how aligned they are with a client on goals, tasks, and emotional connection, especially when progress stalls.

Clients in ongoing therapy

34%OF USERS

Clients take it to express whether they feel understood, supported, and working toward shared goals with their therapist.

Supervisors and trainees

20%OF USERS

Supervisors and early-career clinicians use it to track alliance quality over time and spot relationship issues that need discussion.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

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Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

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See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Therapeutic Alliance Scale (TAS)

Average

45.4

Normal range

34.3 — 56.5

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 quality of the working relationship between client and therapist. It covers agreement on goals, agreement on tasks, and the emotional bond.

Who should complete it?

There are separate forms for the client and the therapist. Each should complete the form independently.

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

Completion typically takes about 2 minutes. The form contains 10 items.

When should it be used?

It may be used early in treatment, during ongoing work, or near termination. Repeated use can track changes in the working relationship over time.

How should results be interpreted?

Scores summarize perceived alliance strength, and client and therapist scores can be compared. Meaningful differences may indicate a need to clarify goals, tasks, or the relationship in session.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Psychotherapeutic Alliance Measurement Method, WAI-S Test

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

psychotherapy

This measure assesses the quality of the therapeutic working relationship across core alliance domains. The Working Alliance Inventory-Short Form (WAI-S) is designed to support brief, structured feedback on how well therapy is functioning from the perspective of the respondent.

It contains 10 items and typically takes about 2 minutes to complete. Parallel forms may be used with clients and clinicians to compare perceptions of agreement on goals and tasks and the perceived bond within treatment.

Developed by Leslie S. Greenberg, Adam O. Horvath, and Edward S. Bordin, the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Form (WAI-S) can be administered repeatedly during the course of therapy to monitor change over time and to identify potential discrepancies that may warrant clinical attention.

Author: Adam O. Horvath, Edward S. Bordin, Leslie S. Greenberg

Literature: Martin, D. J., Garske, J. P., & Davis, M. K. Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2000.; 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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