A significant number of psychotherapy clients remain untreated, and dropping out is one of the main reasons. Still, the literature around this subject is incoherent. The present study explores potential pre-treatment predictors of dropout in a sample of clients who took part in a clinical trial designed to test the efficacy of narrative therapy for major depressive disorder compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy. Logistic regression analysis showed that: (1) treatment assignment did not predict dropout, (2) clients taking psychiatric medication at intake were 80% less likely to drop out from therapy, compared to clients who were not taking medication, and (3) clients presenting anxious comorbidity at intake were 82% less likely to dropout compared to those clients not presenting anxious comorbidity. Results suggest that clinicians should pay attention to depressed clients who are not taking psychiatric medication or have no comorbid anxiety. More research is needed in order to understand this relationship.
We assessed therapist adherence to interpersonal therapy (IPT) and supportive therapy (ST) in a controlled trial for social anxiety disorder. Raters blindly scored n = 133 videotapes from 53 participants using the Collaborative Study Psychotherapy Rating Scale (CSPRS). Results reveal statistical differences across groups, but higher than expected overlap. Greater use of IPT in beginning sessions predicted better outcome in both therapies. Suboptimal adherence may be due to the crossed design in which the same therapists delivered both IPT and ST. Since switching between different approaches is a clinical reality for integrative psychotherapists, these findings may have important clinical implications.
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