title: Comparison of short- and long-term dynamic group psychotherapy: randomised clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no randomised clinical trials comparing the outcomes of short- with long-term psychodynamic group psychotherapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare differences in outcome during and after short- and long-term group psychotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 167 out-patients with mood, anxiety and personality disorders were randomised to short- or long-term group therapy (20 or 80 weekly, 90 min sessions). Outcome measures were: symptoms (Symptom Checklist 90 - Revised), interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems - Circumplex) and psychosocial functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) split version: GAF-Symptom and GAF-Function). Change over the 3-year study period was assessed using linear mixed models. The study was registered in clinicalTrials.gov as NCT00521417.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in both groups made significant gains. A significantly larger symptomatic change over time was found for long-term compared with short-term therapy, but no significant differences were detected for the three remaining outcome variables. There was a higher number of premature terminations in the long-term (33.3%) compared with the short-term group (8.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short- and long-term therapy seem equally effective for typical out-patients seeking group psychotherapy, except for symptomatic distress.
authors.affiliation: Steinar Lorentzen, MD, PhD, Department for Research and Development, Clinic for Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo; Torleif Ruud, MD, PhD, Department for Research and Development, Division of Mental Health Services, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo; Anette Fjeldstad, MD, Department of Research and Development, Clinic for Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital; Per Høglend, MD, PhD, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lorentzen
authors.forename: Torleif
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruud
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fjeldstad
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Høglend
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D064889:Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome