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The Relation of Baseline Skills to Psychotherapy Outcome Across Diverse Psychotherapies
Author(s) -
Gibbons Mary Beth Connolly,
Thompson Sarah M.,
Mack Rachel A.,
Lee Jacqueline K.,
CritsChristoph Paul
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.22165
Subject(s) - psychology , baseline (sea) , clinical psychology , cognition , depression (economics) , cognitive therapy , rating scale , hamd , multiple baseline design , developmental psychology , psychiatry , intervention (counseling) , oceanography , economics , macroeconomics , geology
Objective We explored whether patients with varied levels of baseline deficits in compensatory skills and self‐understanding had different outcomes across cognitive and dynamic therapies. Method The assessment battery was administered at intake and termination (N = 97; 66% female, 81% Caucasian). We conducted regression analyses predicting symptom change from baseline levels of self‐understanding and compensatory skills. We also evaluated the interaction between baseline skill levels and treatment condition in the prediction of psychotherapy outcome. Results There was a significant interaction between treatment group and baseline compensatory skills in the prediction of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) symptom change, F (1,76) = 4.59, p = .035. Baseline deficits in compensatory skills were significantly related to symptom change for patients who received cognitive treatment, η ρ = .40, p = .037, while baseline levels of self‐understanding were not significantly predictive of treatment outcome in either condition. Baseline skill variables did not predict symptom change as measured by the HAMA. Conclusions The findings support a capitalization model of cognitive therapy, whereby patients with relative strengths in compensatory skills at baseline have better treatment outcomes.