Figures and stories: On long-term psychoanalytic treatment and outcome measurement

• In his study Berghout (2010) showed that long-term psychoanalytic treatment (psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy) effectively reduces symptoms and personality problems. Outcome measurements are often taken at face value. This article zooms in on three of the patients in Berghout’s study and their therapists. The three patients differ clearly in the extent of personality change they exhibit (MMPI-2). A follow-up with the Patient-Therapist Adult Attachment Interview (PT-AAI) shows that the clinical significance of outcome figures can be different than one might think at first.

Psychometric properties of the Dutch Session Rating Scale (SRS) and Outcome Rating Scale (ORS)

• This pilot study reports some psychometric findings, obtained with the Dutch translations of both Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) and Session Rating Scale (SRS). These instruments were administered in a sample of more than 200 outpatients. ORS scores were weakly but significantly correlated with SRS scores. Low but statistically significant positive correlations were obtained between clients’ self-ratings with the ORS and SRS on the one hand, and therapists’ ratings with the Therapist Satisfaction Scale (TSS) on the other hand. High internal consistency coefficients were found for both the ORS and the SRS. Also, correlations between subsequent administrations of the instruments turned out to be substantial. Unfortunately, these results could be indicative of response style effects. It is recommended that therapists explicitly encourage patients to discriminate in their scoring of the SRS and ORS the different aspects of the therapeutic relationship (SRS) and the different perspectives of their personal life (ORS).