Responds to previous article (Stiles and Shapiro, this issue) which argues that trivial correlations between process variables and treatment outcome point to inherent methodological limitations of correlational designs in process-outcome research. Contends that correlational designs are perfectly appropriate for testing process-outcome…

Responds to previous article (Stiles and Shapiro, this issue) that suggests abandoning model of drug research in exploring psychotherapy effectiveness. Contends that Stiles and Shapiro's analysis can be challenged on methodological grounds involving failure to use multivariate analytic approaches, incomplete exploitation of advantages of growth…

Responds to critiques of Stiles and Shapiro's (1994) discussion of process-outcome correlation problem by Silberschatz (1994) and Sechrest (1994). Contends that, contrary to Silberschatz's and Sechrest's multivariate suggestions, problem is not in measures or analyses but in interpretation of results, particularly in failure to incorporate fully…

The study found, in contrast with an earlier study done with similar children in the same program, that a group of 29 severely disturbed children, including those with preadmission histories of severe aggressive/destructive behavior, had positive outcomes from a day hospital treatment program. Programmatic changes are proposed as responsible for…

Explores unique issues and concerns facing lesbian women in U.S. culture. Examines theoretical issues and effective therapeutic interventions in counseling lesbians. Specific content areas highlighted include lesbian identity development and management; interpersonal and couple issues; and specific problems such as substance abuse, domestic…

Examined agreement among psychotherapists about nature of healthy psychological functioning. Administered Mental Health Values Questionnaire to national samples of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and psychoanalysts. Found relatively high degree of consensus among four professional disciplines. Individual differences were associated…

Notes that family therapy research and psychotherapy research in general have been criticized for their lack of relevance to clinical practice. Presents five-stage model, based on marketing and developmental perspective, that family therapy researchers can follow to increase relevance of their work for clinicians and other consumers of family…

Describes development of cognitive therapy (CT) for depression and its application to diverse clinical populations. Examines how CT works and discusses both limitations of CT and recent developments and modifications of the therapy that have evolved in response to these perceived limitations and that bring it closer to other therapy approaches.…

Reviews studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, and social phobia. Sees CBT as consistently more effective than waiting-list and placebo control groups. Notes that cognitive change may be strong predictor of treatment outcome but that such change may be produced…

Sees cognitive therapy as promising psychosocial intervention for treatment of depression. Notes that, although cognitive therapy appears to be at least equal to alternative interventions with respect to acute treatment and there are indications that it may reduce risk of symptom return after treatment termination, design limitations reduce…

Used archival records to compare therapy process in 30 brief psychodynamic and 32 cognitive-behavioral therapies. Analyses of verbatim transcripts of 186 treatment sessions demonstrated that, although some features were common to both treatments, there were important differences. Identified what types of processes led to patient improvement in…

Describes methods and concepts for empirically evaluating pertinence or suitability of therapist's interventions to patient's problems, needs, and treatment goals. Presents intensive studies of two brief psychotherapy cases in which patient-initiated critical incidents were identified, case-specific accuracy of therapist's responses was rated, and…

Focuses on psychotherapy studies completed at Vanderbilt University which had their antecedents in research begun by Strupp in 1950s. Notes that Vanderbilt I focused on relative contribution of specific and nonspecific factors in therapy, while Vanderbilt II sought to study the effects of training in time-limited dynamic psychotherapy on process…

Sixteen therapists in year-long manualized training program as part of Vanderbilt II study of time-limited dynamic psychotherapy changed their interventions in line with protocol, but some unanticipated changes occurred that ran counter to intent of training, including increased negative interpersonal transactions. Found that patient difficulty…

Examined effects of preparer (leader versus other personnel) and modality (group versus individual) on expectations about therapy, anxiety, group and individual functioning, and leader functioning in group therapy preparation program. Findings from 32 graduate students revealed that preparation can have positive effect on clients' beliefs,…