Temporal interaction of process variables in psychotherapy

Abstract

A sample of 91 courses of dyadic psychotherapy using different treatment modalities was analyzed in order to study session-by-session dynamics. The process data consisted of therapist and patient session reports and therapy outcome was evaluated by pre-post questionnaires and direct measures of change. After data reduction by principal component analysis, linear time series models of the resulting factors were computed to describe the prototypical dynamical patterns of the sample and of the modality subsamples (cognitive-behavioral, client-centered, schema-theoretical psychotherapy). It was found that the factor of Patient's Sense of Self-Efficacy/Morale governed the observed dynamics of the sample, whereas the therapeutic bond factors did have less impact on the dynamics. The dynamical patterns of client-centered therapies differed from other modalities. The dynamics-outcome findings showed that direct measures of change were associated with a specific process pattern in which the patient's sense of self-efficacy was supported by other process variables.