Munich Psychotherapy Study (MPS): Preliminary results on process and outcome of psychoanalytic psychotherapy – A prospective psychotherapy study with depressed patients

This prospective, comparative study evaluates process and outcome of psycho-analysis and psychodynamic psychotherapies. Diagnostically homogenous samples of depressed patients, diagnosed by two psychiatrists/psychotherapists by means of an ICD-10 and DSM-IV checklist, are compared in a randomised controlled design. All treatments were performed by experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapists (at least five years of professional experience) in private practice in a crossed design. The outcome measure battery is up to commonly agreed upon standards of psychotherapy research and special attention is paid to the measurement of psychoanalytic mode-specific effects, namely structural change with the Scales of Psychological Capacities (SPC). The data come from three different sources: self-rating by patients; assessment by therapists; assessment by researchers (=external investigator). Measurement points are pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up measurement one, two and three years after termination of treatment. Different external investigators carried out pre- and post-treatment interviews to control for memory- and expectancy-effects. Therapeutic process is measured every six months; therapists and patients filled out questionnaires sent by mail.

The preliminary results presented are obtained from all 42 patients who had already terminated their psychotherapy and their one-year follow-up. We could not calculate differences between groups at that time because of small sample sizes. There was a clear-cut improvement in all measures applied showing high effect sizes (SES) between pre- and post-treatment (Symptom Check List, Global Severity Index: SES=1,49; Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, total score: SES=1,63; SPC total score: SES=1,84). There was no additional significant change within the first year after termination. There was no significant correlation between outcome and duration or dose of therapy in most measures.

Schlüsselwörter

Prospective psychotherapy study - depression - psychoanalytic psychotherapy - structural change