Incremental Validity of the Dutch Anxiety Change Expectancy Scale and Treatment Utility of Expectancy Instruments
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2020-01-31
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en
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Abstract
Meta-analytically, clients' expectations about psychological treatment influence therapy
outcomes. However, psychometric properties of expectancy measures are often insufficient
and the expectancy concept is used inconsistently. This study investigated the predictive and
incremental validity of the Dutch Anxiety Change Expectancy Scale (ACES-NL), which
measures these expectations. To enable the important step from research to clinical practice,
the treatment utility of expectancy instruments was also examined. Thirteen participants and
their therapists completed questionnaires concerning expectancy and related concepts before
and after treatment, and after each session. The results indicated that the ACES-NL could not
predict post-treatment symptoms over pre-treatment symptoms, hope, and credibility.
Expectancy did not predict therapy outcome at any point in treatment. In addition, clients’
expectations seemed stable during treatment, related mostly to satisfaction with therapy
sessions, and became more concordant with therapists’ expectations over time. Although
more research is needed, based on these results, the predictive and incremental validity of the
ACES-NL and the treatment utility of expectancy instruments seemed insufficient.
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen