Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ttngx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-21T16:19:42.027Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A Multidimensional Evaluation of Therapist Behaviour*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Derek Milne
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Services, Northumberland Health Authority

Abstract

The difficulty in predicting outcome from therapist behaviour has been attributed to the neglect of some important variables, including the amount and type of therapy, and the skilfulness and interpersonal manner of the therapist. The present study investigated one therapists behaviour in terms of these four dimensions for a random sample of 10 adult outpatients, for whom outcome data were available. Results indicated that the type of therapy was intermediate between prescriptive and exploratory modes, that it was practiced at a satisfactory level of proficiency, and that interpersonal effectiveness was high. The related Clinical outcomes were also satisfactory in relation to the amount of therapy. In addition to illustrating a procedure for evaluating therapist behaviour and showing the correspondence between process and outcome, this “case study” provides evidence to support the need for more objective accounts of therapist behaviour.

Type
Clinical Section
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M. and Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behaviour analysis. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis 1, 9197.Google Scholar
Banks, M. H., Clegg, C. W., Jackson, P. R., Kemp, N. J., Stafford, E. M. and Wall, T. D. (1980). The use of the General Health Questionnaire as an indicator of mental health in occupational studies. Journal of Occupational Psychology 53, 184194.Google Scholar
Billings, A. G. and Moos, R. H. (1981). The role of coping responses and social resources in attenuating the stress of life events. Journal of Behavioural Medicine 3, 139157.Google Scholar
Brunink, S. A. and Schroder, H. E. (1979). Verbal therapeutic behaviour of expert psychoanalytically oriented, gestalt and behaviour therapists. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 47, 567574.Google Scholar
Clark, D. F. (1979). The clinical psychologist in primary care. Social Sciences and Medicine 13A, 707713.Google Scholar
Earll, L. and Kincey, J. (1982). Clinical psychology in general practice: a controlled trial evaluation. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 32, 3237.Google Scholar
Espie, C. A. and White, J. (1986). The effectiveness of psychological intervention in primary care: a comparative analysis of outcome ratings. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 36, 310312.Google Scholar
Freeman, G. K. and Button, E. J. (1984). The clinical psychologist in general practice: a 6-year study of consulting patterns for psychosocial problems. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 34, 377380.Google Scholar
Haines, A. J. (1984). The clinical psychologist in general practice. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 34, 561562.Google Scholar
Hardy, G. E. and Shapiro, D. A. (1985). Therapist response modes in prescriptive vs. exploratory psychotherapy. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 24, 235245.Google Scholar
Howard, K. I., Kopta, S. M., Krause, M. S. and Orlinsky, D. E. (1986). The dose-effect relationship in psychotherapy. American Psychologist 41, 159164.Google Scholar
Ives, G. (1979). Psychological treatment in general practice. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 29, 343351.Google Scholar
Jerrom, D. W. A., Gerver, D., Simpson, R. J. and Pemberton, D. A. (1982). Clinical psychology in primary care: users in the evaluation of services. In: Clinical Psychology and Medicine, Main, C. J. (Ed.) London, Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Jerrom, D. W. A., Simpson, R. J., Barber, J. H. and Pemberton, D. A. (1983). General practitioners satisfaction with a primary care clinical psychology service. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 33, 2931.Google Scholar
Koch, H. C. (1979). Evaluation of behaviour therapy intervention in general practice. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 29, 337340.Google Scholar
Milne, D. L. (Ed.) (1987). Evaluating Mental Health Practice: Methods and Applications London: Croom-Helm.Google Scholar
Milne, D. L. and Linford, J. (1984). Anxiety: How to Understand and Control your ‘Nerves’ Wakefield: MIND.Google Scholar
Peterson, L., Homer, A. L. and Wonder Lich, S. A. (1982). The integrity of independent variables in behaviour analysis. Journals of Applied Behaviour Analysis 15, 477492.Google Scholar
Robson, M. H., France, E. and Bland, M. (1984). Clinical psychologist in primary care: controlled clinical and economic evaluation. British Medical Journal 288, 18051808.Google Scholar
Salkovskis, P. M. (1987). Cognitive therapy: It is always cognitive, it is always therapy? In: Clinical Psychology: Research & Practice. Dent, H. R. (Ed.) London: Croom-Helm.Google Scholar
Schaffer, N. D. (1982). Multidimensional measures of therapist behaviour as predictors of outcome. Psychological Bulletin 92, 670681.Google Scholar
Shapiro, D. A., Barkham, M. and Irving, D. L. (1980). The reliability of a modified Helper Behaviour Rating System. British Journal of Medical Psychology 57, 4548.Google Scholar
Skinner, P. T. (1984). Skills not pills: Learning to cope with anxiety symptoms. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 34, 258260.Google Scholar
Stiles, W. B.Shapiro, D. A. and Elliott, R. (1986). Are all psychotherapies equivalent? American Psychologist 41, 165180.Google Scholar
Tennant, C. and Andrews, G. (1976). A scale to measure the stress of life events. Australian & New Zealand of Psychiatry 10, 2732.Google Scholar
Ullman, L. P. (1981). Cognitions: help or hindrance? Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 2, 1923.Google Scholar
Vallis, T. M., Shaw, B. F. and Dobson, K. S. (1986). The Cognitive Therapy Scale: Psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 54, 381385.Google Scholar
Young, J. E. and Beck, A. T. (1980). Cognitive Therapy Scale Rating Manual. Unpublished document, available from: Centre for Cognitive Therapy, University of Pennsylvania, Room 602, 133 South 36th Street, PA 19104. U.S.A.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.