This investigation used a prospective design to examine the orientation phase of the nurse-client relationship. One hundred and twenty-four newly formed nurse-client dyads constituted the sample; Client subjects were individuals with a chronic mental illness. The following variables predicted by Peplau\u27s theory to be related to development of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship were examined: nurses\u27 preconceptions of their clients, clients\u27 preconceptions of their nurses, other interpersonal relationships of clients and nurses, and anxiety of clients and nurses. Variables were measured for both nurses and clients at 0, 3 and 6 months into their relationship. Preconceptions of both clients and nurses were related to the duration of the orientation phase and development of the therapeutic alliance. There was support for the importance of other interpersonal relationships with clients but not nurses. Anxiety was not found to be significantly related to the development of the therapeutic relationship. Findings therefore support some tenets of Peplau\u27s theory, but not others. This gives direction for future research and theory refinement
