A constructive replication of client change during psychodynamic treatment in an outpatient setting

Abstract

AbstractWe responded to the need for replication in psychotherapy research by extending a prior naturalistic study documenting the effectiveness of long‐term psychodynamic treatment. We employed three novel analytic strategies and evaluated their influence on substantive interpretations offered in the prior study. The sample consisted of clients (N = 387; Mage = 31.61; SD = 11.13; 58.9% female; 79.1% Caucasian/White) receiving outpatient treatment at a psychodynamic training clinic. Results replicated the original two‐class solutions for social functioning, depression and life satisfaction. Novel to the replication analyses, each trajectory for social functioning and depression exhibited nonlinear change and results advanced research on a theorised mechanism of effective psychodynamic treatment. Results showed that change in experiential avoidance was a possible mechanism between early‐treatment change in social functioning and later‐treatment changes in depression symptoms and life satisfaction. Clinical implications focus on the influence that initial levels of symptoms and well‐being may have on early and later phases of treatment, monitoring progress throughout treatment, and how to promote symptom and well‐being improvement.