P0219 - Prediction of a suitability score on psychiatric symptoms in short- and long-term therapy

Abstract

Background and Aims:

Patient's pre-treatment personality characteristics and interpersonal predispositions indicate suitability for psychotherapy and predict its outcome. The predictive value of reliable and valid suitability assessment scales in short- and long-term therapy has not, however, been compared. This study compares the prediction of a suitability scale on changes in psychiatric symptoms in short- and long-term psychotherapy.

Methods:

In the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study, 326 psychiatric outpatients, aged 20-46 years, and suffering from depressive or anxiety disorders were randomized to short-term therapy or long-term therapy. Psychological suitability measures were assessed with a 7-item Suitability for Psychotherapy Scale (SPS) at baseline and psychiatric symptoms with the Symptom Check List, Global Severity Index (SCL-90-GSI) at baseline and 7 times during a 3-year follow-up.

Results:

Three patient groups were found when a suitability score based on the seven individual suitability measures was used to predict symptom development: patients with more good (4 or more) than poor values gained sufficiently from short-term therapy, patients with more poor (4-6) than good values needed long-term therapy, and patients with all 7 values poor failed to benefit from either short- or long-term therapy. Almost half of the patients received considerably auxiliary treatment besides the study treatment. For these patients, although equipped with mostly good values, short-term therapy was not sufficient.

Conclusions:

The amount of therapy needed to recover may be predicted before start of therapy. The use of auxiliary treatment in addition to standard treatment needs, however, further clarification.