Investigations into the relation of the psychotherapy process to treatment outcomes have not yet been able to adduce compelling associations between dimensions of the therapy process and treatment effectiveness. The proposed project represents a continuation of earlier research conducted by the PI into factors contributing to successful outcomes in diverse intervention modalities. It extends an ongoing, programmatic investigation of the therapy process to 1) brief, cognitive-behavioral treatments and 2) longer-term dynamic psychotherapies. As in previous studies, process will be measured with the newly constructed Psychotherapy Process Q-set, designed to provide a basic language for the description and classification of therapy process in a form suitable for quantitative analysis. The measure is proving to be both innovative and effective in its ability to yield meaningful data about process. Study 1 will rely on a high-quality data archive containing the treatment records for 32 outpatients who suffered from a major depression, half of whom received a 16-session cognitive- behavioral therapy, and half a C/B therapy plus anti-depressants. The archive contains extensive pretherapy, posttherapy and follow-up evaluations, and each of the treatments has been completely audio-taped. Transcripts of the 1st, 5th and 14th treatment hours will be rated with the process Q-set. Correlates of successful outcome will be identified, and a time-series analysis of Q-ratings of successive hours will attempt to specify shifts or changes in process over the course of treatment. In Study 2, the relationship of process to treatment outcomes will be examined in the small number of longer-term dynamic therapies. Ten patients meeting diagnostic criterial for a major depression will be seen in an intensive, dynamic psychotherapy consisting of two sessions per week over a period of 6 to 8 months. Treatments will be conducted at the Psychology Clinic at the University of California at Berkeley. Extensive preliminary as well as ongoing, evaluations will be conducted with emphasis on obtaining individualized repeated outcome measures assessing dynamic issues and structural change. Each treatment will be video-taped in its entirety and Q-ratings of hours over the treatment course will allow an intensive analysis that will provide detailed descriptions of the process and can address the question of individual differences in response to treatment.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01MH038348-05
Application #
3376647
Study Section
Treatment Development and Assessment Research Review Committee (TDA)
Project Start
1983-09-01
Project End
1990-06-30
Budget Start
1988-07-01
Budget End
1989-06-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Stanford University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
800771545
City
Stanford
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94305
Jones, E E; Pulos, S M (1993) Comparing the process in psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapies. J Consult Clin Psychol 61:306-16
Jones, E E; Cumming, J D; Horowitz, M J (1988) Another look at the nonspecific hypothesis of therapeutic effectiveness. J Consult Clin Psychol 56:48-55