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An exploratory study of patients’ sudden losses during outpatient CBT and therapists’ experience of difficulties
Author(s) -
Odyniec Patrizia,
Probst Thomas,
Göllner Richard,
Margraf Jürgen,
Willutzki Ulrike
Publication year - 2019
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.22828
Subject(s) - distress , psychotherapist , psychology , patient satisfaction , sudden death , medicine , surgery
Abstract Objective Patients’ sudden deterioration in symptomatology, also called sudden losses, is a rarely explored phenomenon. Method Psychological distress of 1,763 patients treated by 140 therapists was monitored after every therapy session. Patient‐reported outcome measures and patients’ therapy satisfaction was assessed. Therapists rated their experience of difficulties for every patient repeatedly over the course of therapy. Results More than one‐quarter of patients (26.5%) experienced at least one sudden loss during therapy. Patients with sudden losses did not differ significantly in psychotherapy outcome and therapy satisfaction from patients without sudden shifts. Therapists did not experience professional self‐doubt more often when working with sudden loss patients. Conclusion Sudden losses were not necessarily harmful for the outcome of psychotherapy and patients’ global therapy satisfaction. The results suggest that sudden losses can be compensated over the course of treatment.