Brief psychotherapeutic interventions for job-related distress: A Pilot study of Prescriptive and Exploratory therapy

Abstract

Existing interventions for occupational problems are reviewed and three areas of concern are identified: (1) the predominance of cognitive-behavioural at the expense of psychodynamic approaches; (2) the modest cost-effectiveness of stress-intervention programmes; and (3) sampling and measurement procedures. This paper addresses these issues by presenting a brief therapeutic model comprising two weekly sessions of therapy followed by a third session three months later. This model is termed the Two-Plus-One Model of therapy. Two modes of therapy are presented within this model: a brief cognitive-behavioural package, called ‘Prescriptive therapy’, and a brief relationship-oriented package, called ‘Exploratory therapy’. Initial outcome data are presented from a pilot study comprising 12 consecutive clients, of whom half received one therapy mode and half the other within a psychological clinic. In addition, case material describing a single case within each therapy mode is presented. Issues relating to the three areas of concern are addressed as well as an outline for a large ongoing comparative outcome trial.