Objective: The ability to form a strong therapeutic alliance is considered a foundational skill across psychotherapies. Patient-rated measures of the alliance are now being used to make judgments about a therapist's tendency to build alliances with their patients. However, whether a patient-rated alliance measure provides a useful index of a…

Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore heterogeneity and differential treatment outcome among a sample of patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Method: A latent class analysis was conducted with 205 treatment-seeking, overweight or obese individuals with BED randomized to interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), behavioral weight loss…

Objective: To complement standardized measurement of symptoms, we developed and tested an efficient strategy for identifying (before treatment) and repeatedly assessing (during treatment) the problems identified as most important by caregivers and youths in psychotherapy. Method: A total of 178 outpatient-referred youths, 7-13 years of age, and…

Treatment integrity refers to implementing interventions as intended. Treatment integrity is critically important for experimental validity and for drawing valid inferences regarding the relationship between treatment and outcome. Yet, it is rarely adequately addressed in psychotherapy research. The authors examined barriers to treatment integrity…

Reviews recently published methods of assessment of dynamic formulations derived from psychodynamic case material, particularly those that emphasize central maladaptive interpersonal patterns. The methods are divided into those based on case studies and those with a moderate sample size. Psychometric properties are reviewed. The question of how…

Investigated similarity between psychotherapy analogues and real interviews. Real and analogue interviews were rated on dependent variables. Different results were obtained for each analogue. Results indicate that generalizability of the analogues is contingent on dependent variables in question, type of relationship predicted, and experience…

Evaluation of the clinical significance of a depression treatment program revealed that a substantial number of clients made reliable improvements; posttreatment scores fell within a functional distribution. Results suggest that highly structured interventions for outpatients with major depression can instill clinically meaningful changes in short…

Reviews quantitative studies of Freud's proposition that the poorer the psychological health, the more limited are the benefits from treatment. Included are main methods of measurement, the record of predictive success, validity studies, the relation to the psychiatric diagnosis, prediction in forms of treatment other than psychotherapy, and…

The authors used structural equation modeling to investigate universal change processes identified in the generic model of psychotherapy (GMP). Three path models of increasing complexity were examined in Study 1 in dynamic therapy. The best fitting model from Study one was replicated in Study two for participants receiving either cognitive or…

Explores whether training can affect the illusory correlation. Materials used by Chapman and Chapman (1969) were used. Attempts were made to influence the illusory correlation by providing a simulated training session. Training was no more effective than nontraining in reducing this phenomenon. This is consistent with Chapman and Chapman (1969).…

Reviews research on two measures of transference: Q-sort questionnaire measures and psychotherapy process measures. Q-sort, although reliable, lacks validity information. Psychotherapy process measures have reliability and validity. Considerable comparability was found between process measures and operationalized propositions from Freud's…

Contains seven articles discussing the application of meta-analysis to research on outcomes in psychotherapy. Provides a framework for understanding meta-analytic procedures and outlines major techniques. Reviews criticisms of integration of psychotherapy outcome research. Evaluates comparative therapy outcome research and discusses limitations of…

Investigated determinants and predictive utility of client's perception of therapuetic relationship (CPTR) in context of behavior therapy research. CPTR was an effective predictor of dropping out when measured early in therapy, of immediate posttherapy client gains when measured in mid- to late therapy, but not of long-term maintenance.…

The pretreatment personality scores were not significantly related to improved outcome scores at termination either as a main effect or for the interaction with treatment group. However, low neuroticism and high extraversion were associated with improved social adjustment one year later. (Author)

Focuses on regression effects that arise from measurement error, and examines methods used to evaluate pre- to post-therapy score changes that attempt to take these regression effects into account. Discusses statistical and practical problems, identifies and analyzes specific examples, and distinguishes objectives of these methods from other…