On the Relationship between the Therapeutic Alliance and Treatment Outcomes in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy versus Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Depression
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
2023-02-03
Language
en
Document type
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Title
ISSN
Volume
Issue
Startpage
Endpage
DOI
Abstract
Abstract
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) have been found equally efficacious in treating major depressive disorder. One reason for this might be that the common factors of psychotherapy, instead of specific techniques, excite changes in patients. One such factor is the therapeutic alliance (TA). Even though the TA has been shown to be an important factor to promote changes in patients, it is still largely unclear if this association differs between CBT and STPP. This study investigated whether the association between the TA and changes in depressive symptoms differs for CBT or STPP. This study made use of data from a randomized trial, which included N = 247 participants (84.6% female; M = 34.08, SD = 11.11). Depressive symptoms were measured using Beck’s Depression Inventory, and the Helping Alliance questionnaire was used to measure TA. Logistic and multiple regression analyses were conducted to answer the research questions. Results showed there was no relationship between changes in the TA and changes in BDI, and that this association was not moderated by type of treatment. These results indicate that the theoretical background of different psychotherapies do not always translate to practical differences. Specifically, the theoretical focus of STPP on the TA did not influence treatment outcomes more than in CBT. A limitation of this study is that the TA was measured only at baseline- and post-treatment, this did not allow for the dynamic nature of the TA, and its relation to treatment outcomes to be taken into account.
Keywords: Therapeutic Alliance, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic
Psychotherapy, Dropout.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen