Therapist Competence and Patient Outcome in Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Depression

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 1988-08, Vol.56 (4), p.496-501
• Main Authors: O'Malley, Stephanie S, Foley, Susan H, Rounsaville, Bruce J, Watkins, John T, Sotsky, Stuart M, Imber, Stanley D, Elkin, Irene
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical Competence; Competence; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Depressive Disorder - therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Human; Humans; Major Depression; Male; Medical sciences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapeutic Outcomes; Psychotherapeutic Processes; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Psychotherapy - methods; Social Adjustment; Therapist Characteristics; Treatments
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.4.496

This article examines whether the therapist's level of competence in conducting interpersonal psychotherapy of depression (IPT) is associated with patient improvement. Data from 35 depressed outpatients treated for up to 16 sessions as part of the IPT training program for the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program were used. Multiple regression analyses were performed to predict outcome from 4th-session ratings of therapist skill while controlling for important pretreatment patient characteristics including level of depression, social adjustment, and expectations of treatment outcome. The results showed that measures of therapist performance contributed significantly to the prediction of patient-rated change and change in the apathy associated with depression but not to measures of social adjustment at 16 weeks.