Ego Impairment Index (EII‐2) as a predictor of outcome in short‐ and long‐term psychotherapy during a 5‐year follow‐up

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the predictive ability of the Rorschach-based Ego Impairment Index (EII-2) on outcome of psychotherapy in different types and durations of therapy. Method: A total of 326 outpatients suffering from depressive or anxiety disorders were randomized into receiving solutionfocused (n = 97), short-term psychodynamic (n = 101), or longterm psychodynamic psychotherapy (n = 128). Psychotherapy outcome assessments during the 5-year follow-up period covered psychiatric symptoms, social functioning, and work ability.Results: Lower EII-2 values, which indicate less problematic ego functioning, were found to predict faster improvement in both short-term therapies as compared to long-term psychotherapy. Conclusion:The results provide preliminary support for the utility of EII-2 as a complementary measure to interviewbased methods for selecting between short-and long-term therapies.