Using Socratic Questioning to promote cognitive change and achieve depressive symptom reduction: Evidence of cognitive change as a mediator.

Socratic questioning has long been thought to play a critical role in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression. Though use of Socratic questioning is theorized to achieve symptom reduction by promoting cognitive change, research has yet to investigate this pathway. In a sample of 123 clients participating in CBT for depression, we tested cognitive change as a mediator of the relation between Socratic questioning and symptom change in early treatment sessions.

Identifying moderators of the adherence-outcome relation in cognitive therapy for depression.

Objective: Little is known about the influence of patients' pretreatment characteristics on the adherence-outcome relation in cognitive therapy (CT) for depression. In a sample of 57 depressed adults participating in CT, the authors examined interactions between pretreatment patient characteristics and therapist adherence in predicting session-to-session symptom change.

Method: Using items from the Collaborative Study Psychotherapy Rating Scale, the authors assessed 3 facets of therapist adherence: cognitive methods, negotiating/structuring, and behavioral methods/homework.

Therapist use of Socratic questioning predicts session-to-session symptom change in cognitive therapy for depression.

Socratic questioning is a key therapeutic strategy in cognitive therapy (CT) for depression. However, little is known regarding its relation to outcome. In this study, we examine therapist use of Socratic questioning as a predictor of session-to-session symptom change.

A re-examination of process-outcome relations in cognitive therapy for depression: Disaggregating within-patient and between-patient effects.

Objective: We previously examined alliance and therapist adherence as predictors of symptom change. Applying a new analytic strategy, we can ensure that any relations identified were not attributable to stable patient characteristics.

Method: Participants were 57 depressed cognitive therapy patients.

Assessing Patients' Cognitive Therapy Skills: Initial Evaluation of the Competencies of Cognitive Therapy Scale.

In Cognitive Therapy (CT), therapists work to help patients develop skills to cope with negative affect. Most current methods of assessing patients' skills are cumbersome and impractical for clinical use. To address this issue, we developed and conducted an initial psychometric evaluation of self and therapist reported versions of a new measure of CT skills: the Competencies of Cognitive Therapy Scale (CCTS).