@article {ZhangENEURO.0236-20.2020, author = {Ya Zhang and Tian Meng and Yaxi Yang and Yi Hu}, title = {Experience-dependent counselor-client brain synchronization during psychological counseling}, elocation-id = {ENEURO.0236-20.2020}, year = {2020}, doi = {10.1523/ENEURO.0236-20.2020}, publisher = {Society for Neuroscience}, abstract = {The role of the counselor{\textquoteright}s experience in building an alliance with the clients remains controversial. Recently, the expanding nascent studies on interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) on human subjects have hinted at the possible neural substrates underlying the relationship qualities between the counselor-client dyads. Our study assessed the clients{\textquoteright} self-report working alliance (WA) as well as simultaneously measured IBS by fNIRS in 14 experienced vs. 16 novice counselor-client dyads during the first integrative-orientation psychological counseling session. We observed that synchronous brain activity patterns were elicited from the right temporo-parietal junction across counselor-client dyads. Furthermore, such IBS, together with alliance quality, was especially evident when counselors had more psychotherapy experience. Time-lagged counselor-client brain synchronization might co-vary with the alliance (goal component) when the client{\textquoteright}s brain activity preceded that of the counselor. These findings favor the notion that the IBS between counselor-client associated with the WA is an experience-dependent phenomenon, suggesting that a potential adaptive mechanism is embedded in psychological counseling.}, URL = {https://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2020/08/31/ENEURO.0236-20.2020}, eprint = {https://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2020/08/31/ENEURO.0236-20.2020.full.pdf}, journal = {eNeuro} }