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The Roles of Early Symptom Change and Early Working Alliance in Predicting Treatment Outcome

Lin, Tao
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8883-870X
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou161962950044996

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences).
Objectives: Identifying patients who may benefit from therapy or not in early psychotherapy is important to improve treatment outcome. This study aimed to investigate the trajectories of symptom change and working alliance in early psychotherapy and examine their predictions of treatment outcome. Methods: Growth mixture model (GMM) was performed to examine trajectories of symptom change and working alliance in the first five sessions. The association of early symptom trajectories and alliance trajectories with treatment outcome were examined. Results: The present study identified two symptom trajectories, high symptom/steady change (63.2%) and early improving (36.8%), and four alliance development patterns: undeveloped alliance (40.1%), strengthening moderate alliance (31.6%), optimal alliance (17.3%), repaired alliance (11%) in early psychotherapy. The early symptom change trajectories and alliance development patterns both independently and interactively predicted treatment outcome. Optimal alliance generally led to the best outcome. The effect of repaired alliance on treatment outcome was moderated by symptom change trajectories: For high symptom/steady change subgroup, repaired alliance produced better treatment outcome, whereas for medium symptom/slow change subgroup, repaired alliance resulted in worse outcome. Conclusion: Patients showed heterogeneous responses regarding symptom reduction and alliance development in early psychotherapy. Combining early symptom trajectories and alliance trajectories simultaneously can facilitate routine outcome monitoring and contribute to the prediction of treatment outcome.
Timothy Anderson (Advisor)
Megan Austin (Committee Member)
Dominik Mischkowski (Committee Member)
52 p.
Clinical Psychology; Mental Health; Psychology; Psychotherapy
Early change; working alliance; growth mixture modeling; treatment outcome

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lin, T. (2021). The Roles of Early Symptom Change and Early Working Alliance in Predicting Treatment Outcome [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou161962950044996

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lin, Tao. The Roles of Early Symptom Change and Early Working Alliance in Predicting Treatment Outcome. 2021. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou161962950044996.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lin, Tao. "The Roles of Early Symptom Change and Early Working Alliance in Predicting Treatment Outcome." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou161962950044996

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou161962950044996
152
© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.