title: Crisis intervention response and long-term outcome: a pilot study.
abstract: We investigated whether process variables (therapeutic alliance and insight) measured at the termination of crisis intervention predict long-term treatment compliance and 2-year outcome. Thirty-seven consecutive depressed psychiatric patients assigned to outpatient crisis intervention (CCI) were assessed with both questionnaires and standardized instruments at intake, 1 week, and CCI termination (mean, 6 weeks). Thirty-one subjects (84%) were also evaluated at 1-year and 2-year follow-up. We found that working alliance and development of insight predicted positive global change and symptom improvement at 1 and 2 years' follow-up. Furthermore, the observed correlation between process measures and 2-year outcome was found to be independent of age, sex, symptoms severity at intake, improvement of symptoms at CCI termination, premorbid adjustment, DSM-III-R axis I/axis II diagnosis, and therapeutic alliance at intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Andreoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muehlebach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gognalons
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abensur
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Frances
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales