A comparative study of four forms of psychotherapy.

Abstract

Four forms of psychoanalyti cally oriented psychotherapy involving experienced therapists and psychiatric outpatients were compared in an outcome investigation. Patients received either individual therapy or group therapy that lasted either 6 months or 24 months. A comprehensive set of outcome scores provided by patients, therapists, and an independent assessor was monitored each 6 months including a 6-month follow-up assessment. Therapy outcome, therapy process as viewed by the therapists, and cost-effectiveness were examined. What emerged as important was the particular form of therapy received, not the general type of therapy or the general duration of therapy when considered as independent dimensions. The results favored long-term group therapy and short-term individual therapy over long-term individual therapy and short-term group therapy. Advantages and difficulties associated with each form of therapy are discussed. After providing individual and group psychotherapy for outpatients in our unit for several years, we decided to conduct a study that compared four forms of psychotherapy. There were two types of therapy, individual and group, and two time durations, 6 and 24 months. These two main dimensions (type and duration) were combined to produce four forms of therapy: short-term individual (STI), short-term group (STG), long-term individual (LTI), and long-term group (LTG). We were interested in studying the work of experienced therapists rather than those who were inexperienced or still in training. Each therapist in our study treated one set of patients with each of the four forms of therapy. We were also interested in assessing patients after a reasonable follow-up period. Therefore, patients were assessed 6 months after treatment ended in addition to before, during, and just after This research was funded in part by research grant 66051456-44 from the Health Services and Promotion Branch, Health and Welfare, Canada. Maria K. Ramsay served as the independent assessor of the patients.