[Predictors for patients' starting psychotherapy].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to discover prognostic criteria for outpatients' making use of psychotherapy. Data from patients and therapists were collected.


METHODS
After initial psychoanalytic interviews, 92 patients at a university psychotherapy outpatient department were asked to complete narrative forms and standardized questionnaires (FMP) regarding their motivation to seek psychotherapy. In addition, the therapists contributed a Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and estimate of the initial therapeutic working alliance (iTAB) for each patient. In the follow-up, we investigated patients' actual use of psychotherapy.


RESULTS
Sociodemographic variables, personality variables, and diagnoses had only minor prognostic relevance, whereas therapists' assessments of patient resources for therapeutic relationship and work proved to be of high predictive value.


CONCLUSIONS
Positive assessment of a patient's ability for therapeutic working alliance in the initial diagnostic interview is shown to be an important prognostic factor of a patient's entering psychotherapy.
Fischer-Kern
M
M
Universitätsklinik für Tiefenpsychologie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Wien, Osterreich. melitta.fischer-kern@meduniwien.ac.at
Slunecko
T
T
Leithner
K
K
Löffler-Stastka
H
H
Ponocny-Seliger
E
E
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019233:Retreatment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
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