Self-Criticism in Patients with Depression and its Impact on Dropout in Short-Term Psychotherapies: Exploring the Mediator Role of the Therapeutic Alliance and the Moderator Role of Patients' Age

Abstract

Considering the perspective of personality polarities (Blatt, 2004, 2007, 2008), the aim of this study was to describe the relationship between levels of self-criticism and dependence (DEQ) in patients with depression (BDI-I) and dropout of psychotherapy, exploring the mediating role of the therapeutic alliance (WAI-P) and the moderating role of patients' age. Using a longitudinal design and covenience sampling, 81 adult patients receiving brief psychotherapy were recruited at a private health center in Santiago, Chile. Twenty-two of these patients dropped out of treatment. Based on a regression model with interaction terms and controlling for patients' sex, schooling, and age and therapists' years of experience, results indicate that the higher the level of self-criticism the higher the probability of dropping out psychotherapy. This relationship is not explained by the therapeutic alliance. The association between self-criticism and drop out is not observed in younger patients (30 years), yet it is present in older patients (> 40 years). In addition, the higher the dependence, the lower the probability of dropping out of psychotherapy.