Listening Visits: An evaluation of the effectiveness and acceptability of a home-based depression treatment

Abstract

Maternal depression affects approximately one in five women, is undertreated, and compromises infant development. In the United Kingdom, public health nurses provide an empirically supported intervention (Listening Visits [LV]) to depressed postpartum women. This study evaluates the effectiveness of LV when delivered by U.S. home visitors. Nineteen women with depressive symptoms received LV. Pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments evaluated depression status, life satisfaction, and treatment acceptability. Listening Visits were associated with a statistically and clinically significant reduction in depression, improvement in life satisfaction, and were acceptable to this sample of postpartum women. The LV intervention shows considerable promise as an effective and acceptable depression treatment.     

Therapist effectiveness: Implications for accountability and patient care

Abstract

Significant therapist variability has been demonstrated in both psychotherapy outcomes and process (e.g., the working alliance). In an attempt to provide prevalence estimates of “effective” and “harmful” therapists, the outcomes of 6960 patients seen by 696 therapists in the context of naturalistic treatment were analyzed across multiple symptom and functioning domains. Therapists were defined based on whether their average client reliably improved, worsened, or neither improved nor worsened. Results varied by domain with the widespread pervasiveness of unclassifiable/ineffective and harmful therapists ranging from 33 to 65%. Harmful therapists demonstrated large, negative treatment effect sizes (d=?0.91 to ?1.49) while effective therapists demonstrated large, positive treatment effect sizes (d=1.00 to 1.52). Therapist domain-specific effectiveness correlated poorly across domains, suggesting that therapist competencies may be domain or disorder specific, rather than reflecting a core attribute or underlying therapeutic skill construct. Public policy and clinical implications of these findings are discussed, including the importance of integrating benchmarked outcome measurement into both routine care and training.     

Youth self-efficacy domains as predictors of change in routine community mental health services

Abstract

Objective: This study examined how youth self-efficacy in four domains—Social, Academic Diligence, Academic Proficiency, and Behavioral Regulation—was associated with youth symptoms and psychotherapy outcomes. Method: Participants were 104 youth (aged 12–17, mean age 14.6) and their parents/guardians. Youth completed a measure of perceived self-efficacy and the Youth Outcome Questionnaire–Self-Report (YOQ-SR) regularly over the course of treatment; parents/guardians also completed the Youth Outcome Questionnaire. Results: Although none of the self-efficacy domains significantly predicted changes in parent reports of symptoms, individual growth curve models indicated that increases in three of the four self-efficacy domains (Social, Academic Diligence, and Behavioral Regulation) over the course of treatment were associated with concurrent improvements in youth-reported symptoms. Conclusions: Results suggest that youth self-efficacy warrants further study in relation to change processes in youth mental health services.     

Parenting self-efficacy as a predictor of child psychotherapy outcomes in usual care: A multi-dimensional approach

Abstract

Three theorized dimensions of perceived parenting self-efficacy (Parental Connection, Psychological Autonomy, and Behavioral Influence) were used to predict psychotherapy outcomes in 271 youth (age = 4–17 years, mean age = 10.4, 42% girls) receiving routine outpatient services in a community mental health setting. We used individual growth curve modeling to examine patterns of change in self-efficacy domains and corresponding changes in parent-reported child symptoms. Parenting self-efficacy scores at pre-treatment did not predict treatment outcomes. Parenting self-efficacy scores for Parental Connection and Psychological Autonomy increased over the course of therapy, and increases in parenting self-efficacy dimensions (particularly Psychological Autonomy) were significantly associated with improvements in child symptoms over the course of treatment. Parenting self-efficacy appears to merit further study as a candidate mechanism of therapeutic change in child mental health treatment.     

The current state of mental health care in Italy: problems,perspectives, and lessons to learn

After legislative changes in 1978, Italian psychiatry underwent a thorough overhaul, with the gradual closure of all Mental Hospitals. A nation-wide network of Departments of Mental Health now deliver outpatient and inpatient care, but also run semi-residential and residential facilities (the latter with 2.9 beds per 10,000 inhabitants). Hospital care is delivered through small psychiatric units (with no more than 15 beds). There are also many private inpatient facilities operating in Italy, and the number of private inpatient beds per 10,000 inhabitants exceeds the number of public beds; overall there are 1.7 acute beds per 10,000 inhabitants—one of Europe’s currently lowest numbers. There is marked quanti- and qualitative variation in the provision of out- and inpatient care throughout the country, and service utilization patterns are similarly uneven. Studies examining quality of life report a fairly high degree of patient satisfaction, whereas patients’ families frequently bear a heavy burden. In conclusion, the Italian reform law led to the establishment of a broad network of facilities to meet diverse care needs. Further efforts are required to improve quality of care and to develop a more effectively integrated system. Greater attention must be paid to topics such as quality of care and outcomes, public and private sector balance, and the coordination of various resources and agencies.     

How states of mind change in psychotherapy: An intensive case analysis of Lisa's case using the Grid of Problematic States

Abstract

This study uses the Grid of Problematic States (GPS) to examine Lisa's case, one of the most successful in the York Psychotherapy Depression Project. This study tried to assess whether the contents of mental experience form stable clusters consistent with a diagnosis of depression. It was possible with the GPS to pinpoint problematic states typical of depression and trace the transitional states occurring in Lisa between two different mental states: depressive and well-being. The GPS analysis suggested that the treatment successfully managed to deal with symptoms and to change the patient's thought themes and emotions. At the end of treatment, Lisa was less sad and displayed some anger, and a state of being nurtured emerged.     

An understanding of negative reflective functioning,the image and the art psychotherapeutic group

Abstract

This paper will look at a client diagnosed with schizophrenia functioning at a negative reflective functioning (RF) level. Schaverien depicts a model of successive stages in the life of the picture. For some clients whose inner worlds are very fragmented the stage of ‘familiarisation’, the ‘immanent articulation’ may be the limits of their therapy. I propose that with the help of the group and its reflective functioning process, a client working at a negative reflective functioning level can be assisted in moving past the stage of ‘familiarisation’. I will consider how the art psychotherapy group may work as a way of exploring the mind. Furthermore, I suggest that such a client who has moved past the stage of ‘familiarisation’ can further progress into subsequent stages. I will present clinical vignettes of three art psychotherapy group sessions to illustrate this process. These groups will cover the first session, the fourth session and the thirty-second art psychotherapy session.     

Clinical supervision: Its influence on client-rated working alliance and client symptom reduction in the brief treatment of major depression

Abstract

Supervision of psychotherapists and counselors, especially in the early years of practice, is widely accepted as being important for professional development and to ensure optimal client outcomes. Although the process of clinical supervision has been extensively studied, less is known about the impact of supervision on psychotherapy practice and client symptom outcome. This study evaluated the impact of clinical supervision on client working alliance and symptom reduction in the brief treatment of major depression. The authors randomly assigned 127 clients with a diagnosis of major depression to 127 supervised or unsupervised therapists to receive eight sessions of problems-solving treatment. Supervised therapists were randomly assigned to either alliance skill– or alliance process–focused supervision and received eight supervision sessions. Before beginning treatment, therapists received one supervision session for brief training in the working alliance supervision approach and in specific characteristics of each case. Standard measures of therapeutic alliance and symptom change were used as dependent variables. The results showed a significant effect for both supervision conditions on working alliance from the first session of therapy, symptom reduction, and treatment retention and evaluation but no effect differences between supervision conditions. It was not possible to separate the effects of supervision from the single pretreatment session and is possible that allegiance effects might have inflated results. The scientific and clinical relevance of these findings is discussed.

Zusammenfassung

Klinische Supervision: Ihr Einfluss auf Klienten-Einschätzungen der Arbeitsbeziehung und die Symptomreduktion in Kurzzeittherapie von schwerer Depression

Supervision von Psychotherapeuten und Beratern, besonders in frühen Jahren ihres Praktizierens, wird weithin als wichtig für die professionelle Entwicklung und das Erreichen optimaler Therapieergebnisse angesehen. Obwohl der Prozess der klinischen Supervision ausführlich untersucht wurde, ist weniger über ihren Einfluss auf die psychotherapeutisch Praxis und die Reduktion von Symptomen bekannt. Diese Untersuchung bewertete den Einfluss von klinischer Supervision auf die Arbeitsbeziehung der Klienten und die Symptomreduktion bei Kurzzeittherapie von schwerer Depression. Die Autoren haben 127 Klienten mit schwerer Depression dem Zufall nach 127 supervisierten oder nicht supervisierten Therapeuten zugewiesen für eine Problemlösungsbehandlung mit acht Sitzungen. Supervisierte Therapeuten wurden dem Zufall nach einer Allianzfähigkeits-Supervision oder einer Allianzprozess-Supervision zugewiesen und erhielten acht Supervisionstrainings. Vor Beginn der Behandlung bekamen die Therapeuten eine Supervisions-Sitzung mit einem kurzen Training des Arbeitsbeziehungs-Supervisions-Zugangs und den spezifischen Charakteristika aller Klienten. Standardmasse der therapeutischen Allianz und der Symptomveränderungen wurden als abhängige Variablen verwendet. Die Ergebnisse zeigten einen signifikanten Effekt für beide Supervisionsbedingungen auf die Arbeitsbeziehung von der ersten Therapiesitzung an, auf die Symptomreduktion, den Verbleib in der Therapie und die Bewertung, aber keinen Unterschied zwischen den Supervisionsbedingungen. Die Effekte der Supervision und der kurzen Einführung zum Vorgehen der Behandlung waren nicht zu trennen und es ist möglich, dass Loyalitätseffekte die Ergebnisse verstärkt haben. Die wissenschaftliche und klinische Relevanz der Ergebnisse wird diskutiert.

Résumé

La supervision clinique?: son influence sur l'alliance de travail évaluée par les clients et la réduction des symptômes dans le traitement bref de la dépression majeure

La supervision des psychothérapeutes et conseillers, surtout dans les premières années de leur pratique, est largement acceptée dans son importance pour le développement professionnel et pour assurer un effet clinique optimal pour les clients. Bien que le processus de la supervision clinique ait été largement étudié, on a moins de connaissance sur l'impact de la supervision sur la pratique psychothérapeutique et les résultats cliniques des clients. Cette étude a évalué l'impact de la supervision clinique sur l'alliance de travail des clients et la réduction des symptômes dans le traitement bref de la dépression majeure. Les auteurs ont attribué au hasard 127 clients avec un diagnostic de dépression majeure à 127 thérapeutes supervisés ou non supervisés pour un traitement de 8 séances d'un traitement de solution de problèmes. Les thérapeutes supervisés étaient assignés au hasard à une supervision focalisée soit sur l'habileté soit sur le processus au sujet de l'alliance et ils recevaient 8 séances de supervision. Avant de commencer le traitement, les thérapeutes recevaient une séance de supervision pour une formation brève dans l'approche de la supervision de l'alliance de travail et pour des caractéristiques spécifiques de chaque cas. Des mesures standard de l'alliance thérapeutique et du changement de symptômes étaient appliques en tant que variables dépendantes. Les résultats montraient un effet significatif pour les deux conditions de supervision sur l'alliance de travail de la première séance thérapeutique, la réduction des symptômes ainsi que l'adhésion au et l’évaluation du traitement, mais pas de différence dans l'effet des deux conditions de supervision. Il n’était pas possible de séparer les effets de la supervision des la séance unique de pré-traitement et il est possible que des effets d'allégeance aient dilaté les résultats. L'importance scientifique et clinique de ces résultats est discutée.

Resumen

Supervisión clínica: su influencia sobre la alianza de trabajo evaluada por el cliente y la reducción sintomática en la terapia breve de la depresión mayor

La supervisión de psicoterapeutas y consejeros, especialmente en los primeros años de práctica, está ampliamente aceptada como importante para el desarrollo profesional y para asegurar resultados óptimos para el cliente. Si bien el proceso de supervisión clínica ha sido extensamente estudiado, menos se conoce acerca del impacto de la supervisión sobre la práctica psicoterapéutica y el resultado de los síntomas del cliente. Este studio evaluó el impacto de la supervisión clínica sobre la alianza de trabajo del cliente y la reducción del síntoma en la terapia breve de la depresión mayor. Los autores asignaron al azar ciento veintisiente clientes con diagnóstico de depresión mayor a ciento veintisiete terapeutas supervisados o no, que recibirían ocho sesiones de terapia para resolver problemas. Los terapeutas supervisados fueron asignados al azar para una supervisión focalizada en el desarrollo de la habilidad para hacer alianza (alliance skill) o en el proceso de la alianza (alliance process) y recibieron ocho sesiones de supervisión. Antes de comenzar el tratamiento, los terapeutas recibieron una sesión de supervisión para entrenamiento breve en la supervisión para la alianza de trabajo y para características específicas de cada caso. Como variables dependientes se utilizaron medidas estándar de alianza terapéutica y de cambio sintomático. Los resultados mostraron un efecto significativo para ambos tipos de supervisión de la alianza de trabajo desde las primeras sesiones de terapia, reducción sintomática, retención en el tratamiento y evaluación pero sin diferencia entre el efecto de las condiciones de supervisión. No fue possible separar los efectos de la supervisión de los de la sesión previa al tratamiento y es posible que los efectos de la adhesión haya iinflado los resultados. Se debate sobre la relevancia científica y clínica de estos hallazgos.

Resumo

Supervisão clínica: a sua influência nas avaliações da aliança terapeutica pelos clientes e na redução sintomática em tratamento breve da depressão major

A supervisão de psicoterapeutas e conselheiros, em especial durante os primeiros anos de prática, tem sido consensualmente aceite como sendo importante para o desenvolvimento profissional e para assegurar a optimização resultados terapêuticos. Embora os processos de supervisão clínica tenham sido amplamente estudados, pouco se conhece sobre o impacto da supervisão na prática psicoterapêutica e nas melhorias sintomáticas do cliente. Este estudo avaliou o impacto da supervisão clínica na aliança terapêutica e na redução sintomática em terapia breve da depressão major. Os autores distribuíram aleatoriamente 127 clientes, diagnosticados com depressão major, a 127 terapeutas com e sem supervisão, para receberem oito sessões de tratamento de resolução de problemas. Os terapeutas supervisionados foram aleatoriamente distribuídos por duas condições de supervisão, focadas nas competências de aliança terapêutica ou focadas no processo da aliança, recebendo oito sessões de supervisão. Antes do início do tratamento, os terapeutas receberam uma sessão de supervisão como treino breve na abordagem de supervisão da aliança terapêutica e informação sobre as características específicas de cada caso. Foram usadas medidas estandardizadas da aliança terapêutica e da mudança sintomática como variáveis dependentes. Os resultados demonstraram um efeito significativo, em ambas as condições de supervisão, na aliança terapêutica, na redução sintomática, manutenção dos ganhos terapêuticos e avaliação do tratamento, mas não se verificaram diferenças entre as condições de supervisão. Não foi possível separar os efeitos da supervisão da sessão única de treino no pré-tratamento e é possível que os efeitos do comprometimento tenham inflacionado os resultados. São discutidos os resultados em relação à sua relevância científica e clínica.

     

Dropout revisited: Patient- and therapist-initiated discontinuation of psychotherapy as a function of organizational instability

Abstract

Objective: To explore the association between the stability or instability of services' organizational structure and patient- and therapist-initiated discontinuation of therapy in routine mental health. Method: Three groups, comprising altogether 750 cases in routine mental health care in eight different clinics, were included: cases with patient-initiated discontinuation, therapist-initiated discontinuation, and patients remaining in treatment. Multilevel multinomial regression was used to estimate three models: An initial, unconditional intercept-only model, another one including patient variables, and a final model with significant patient and therapist variables including the organizational stability of the therapists' clinic. Results: High between-therapist variability was noted. Odds ratios and significance tests indicated a strong association of organizational instability with patient-initiated premature termination in particular. Conclusions: The question of how organizational factors influence the treatment results needs further research. Future studies have to be designed in ways that permit clinically meaningful subdivision of the patients' and the therapists' decisions for premature termination.     

The phase model of psychotherapy outcome: Domain-specific trajectories of change in outpatient treatment

Objective: The Phase model of psychotherapy outcome assumes a log-linear trajectory of change and allows predictions about the three outcome domains of Well-being, Symptoms, and Interpersonal functioning. Although the model has been partly validated, little is known about the types of trajectories in the specific domains and about the transferability of the model to treatments of longer duration. This study tested whether the domain-specific change trajectories followed a log-linear curve as postulated by the Phase model. Furthermore, it was examined whether the speed of change differed between the domains. Method: Growth curves were modeled using hierarchical linear modeling on an outpatient sample (N?=?351), with treatment duration averaging 52 sessions. Results: A log-linear curve best explained the change trajectories of the domains Well-being and Symptoms as well as the Global score of psychopathology, whereas Interpersonal functioning tends to improve in a linear pattern. Estimated slopes were biggest for Well-being and smallest for Interpersonal functioning. Conclusions: In the present study, the predictions of the Phase model concerning multidimensional phases were validated. The finding that trajectories of change are not uniformly log-linear, but either log-linear or linear in a domain-specific manner, is partly inconsistent with the model.

Clinical or methodological significance of this article: This article extends previous research in the field of psychotherapeutic change by providing results from the modeling of change trajectories in psychotherapeutic treatments with larger amounts of sessions (i.e., more than 20 sessions). Our findings of domain-specific different shapes (i.e., log-linear for Well-Being and Symptoms and linear for Interpersonal functioning) and speed (i.e., fastest for Well-Being and slowest for Interpersonal function) of trajectories of psychotherapeutic change may be clinically applied by means of guidelines for therapists to plan and adapt their treatments. In addition to content-related aspects of a continuous adjustment of treatment goals (e.g., merely symptom-oriented or focusing on interpersonal change) and interventions, this adaptive planning is also related to health care considerations (e.g., may justify longer treatments if therapy goals target several domains of change).     

Applying principles of individual,family and group psychotherapy to the treatment of twins

Psychotherapy for groups composed of twin dyads offers insight not otherwise encountered with other therapeutic modalities such as family, peer group and individual therapy. In particular, in the context of a group composed of pairs of twins, the therapist has the opportunity to explore the process of sibling rivalry, as well as perceptions of separateness and self-other identity. Moreover, interaction between the twins permits the therapist to evaluate areas of family and sibling conflict; interaction between the twin and a peer reveals interpersonal skills; finally, interaction between a twin and the therapist discloses material pertaining to individuation issues. This form of psychotherapy is a valuable method for the evaluation and treatment of twins.     

Efficacy of client feedback in group psychotherapy with soldiers referred for substance abuse treatment

Abstract

This study investigated whether routine monitoring of client progress, often called “client feedback,” via an abbreviated version of the Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS) resulted in improved outcomes for soldiers receiving group treatment at an Army Substance Abuse Outpatient Treatment Program (ASAP). Participants (N = 263) were active-duty male and female soldiers randomized into a group feedback condition (n = 137) or a group treatment-as-usual (TAU) condition (n = 126). Results indicated that clients in the feedback condition achieved significantly more improvement on the outcome rating scale (d = 0.28), higher rates of clinically significant change, higher percentage of successful ratings by both clinicians and commanders, and attended significantly more sessions compared to the TAU condition. Despite a reduced PCOMS protocol and a limited duration of intervention, preliminary results suggest that the benefits of client feedback appear to extend to group psychotherapy with clients in the military struggling with substance abuse.     

Differential change in integrative psychotherapy: A re-analysis of a change-factor based RCT in a naturalistic setting

Abstract

General Psychotherapy (GPT; Grawe, 1997) is a research-informed psychotherapy that combines cognitive-behavioral and process-experiential techniques and that assumes motivational clarification and problem mastery as central mechanisms of change. To isolate the effect of motivational clarification, GPT was compared to a treatment that proscribed motivational clarification (General Psychotherapy Minus Clarification, GPT-C) in a randomized-controlled trial with 67 diagnostically heterogeneous outpatients. Previous analyses demonstrated equal outcomes and some superiority for highly avoidant patients in GPT. Re-analyses using causal-analytic methods confirmed equal changes, but also showed superior effects for GPT in highly symptomatic patients. Results are discussed regarding theory, methodological limitations, and implications for research and practice.     

Child and adolescent group psychotherapy: A narrative review of effectiveness and the case for meta-analysis

A summary of existing reviews addressing the effectiveness of psychotherapy with children and adolescents is provided, emphasizing three facets: 1) the effectiveness of psychotherapy in general with children and adolescents, 2) narrative reviews addressing the effectiveness of group psychotherapy with this population, and 3) meta-analyses of individual and group psychotherapy with children and adolescents. While narrative reviews point out methodological flaws and shortcomings in the literature making it difficult to arrive at effectiveness conclusion, meta-analyses indicate that group psychotherapy with children and adolescents is effective. The implications of these findings for managed mental health care and future research are considered.     

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up: An evidence-based intervention for vulnerable infants and their families

In this paper, we highlight issues we consider key to the development of an evidence-based intervention for the parents of young children who had experienced early adversity. The intervention was initially developed for foster infants, but adapted for infants living with their neglecting parents, then for young children adopted internationally, and finally for toddlers in foster care or living with neglecting birth parents. The intervention and its adaptations share a focus on the importance of providing nurturance to children when they are distressed, and following children’s lead when they are not distressed. We approached intervention development from a theoretical position, with attachment theory and stress neurobiology central. But we are, at heart, clinical scientists and have been open to confirmation or disconfirmation of our ideas and hypotheses. In this paper, we describe our approach, discuss issues and challenges central to our work, and share advice for addressing similar issues and challenges.     

An individual differences perspective on change in psychotherapy: The case of health care utilization

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore systematic interindividual variation in change of a number of health care utilization variables (HCUVs) during psychotherapy and identify patient characteristics associated with this variation. Three-wave panel data from 420 patients were analyzed with nonparametric latent class regression followed by chi-square interaction analyses among patient variables. For the various HCUVs, three to six classes were identified, with widely different patterns of change during treatment. Axis I diagnosis, chronicity, functional impairment, gender, and level of education were among the patient characteristics that differentiated the classes. It was concluded that main effects analyses seriously distort heterogeneity of change and that health care utilization, unless it is a specific therapeutic aim, may be irrelevant as an indication of outcome of psychotherapy.