Goldilocks on the couch: Moderate levels of psychodynamic and process-experiential technique predict outcome in psychodynamic therapy. (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCarthy, Kevin S.; Keefe, John R.; Barber, Jacques P.
• Is Part Of: Psychotherapy research. Volume 26:Number 3(2016)
• Page Start: 307
• Page End: 317
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapy -- experiential/existential/humanistic psychotherapy -- outcome research; psychoanalytische/psychodynamische Therapie -- erlebnisorientierte/ existenzielle/humanistische Psychotherapie -- Outcomeforschung; terapia psicoanalitica/ psicodinamica -- psicoterapia esperienziale/esistenziale/umanistica -- ricerca di esito; 心理分析/心理動力治療 -- 體驗/存在/人本式心理治療 -- 療效研究; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Research -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychothérapie -- Périodiques; Psychothérapie -- Recherche -- Périodiques; 616.891405
• DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2014.973921
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1050-3307

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Greater symptom change is often assumed to follow greater technique use, a "more is better" approach. We tested whether psychodynamic techniques, as well as common factors and techniques from other orientations, had a curvilinear relation to outcome (i.e., whether moderate or "just right" intervention levels predict better outcome than lower or higher levels).Methods: For 33 patients receiving supportive-expressive psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression, interventions were assessed at Week 4 using the multitheoretical list of therapeutic interventions and symptoms were rated with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression.Results: Moderate psychodynamic and experiential techniques predicted greater symptom change compared to lower or higher levels.Conclusion: This "Goldilocks effect" suggests a more complex relation of intervention use to outcome might exist.