Reliability and Validity of the Interpersonal Guilt Rating Scale-15: A New Clinician-Reporting Tool for Assessing Interpersonal Guilt According to Control-Mastery Theory.

This article introduces the Interpersonal Guilt Rating Scale-15 (IGRS-15), a brief clinician-rated tool for the clinical assessment of interpersonal guilt as conceived in Control-Mastery Theory (CMT; Silberschatz, 2015; Weiss, 1993), and its psychometric proprieties. The items of the IGRS-15 were derived from the CMT clinical and empirical literature about guilt, and from the authors' clinical experiences. Twenty-eight clinicians assessed 154 patients with the IGRS-15, the patient self-reported Interpersonal Guilt Questionnaire-67 (IGQ-67; O'Connor, Berry, Weiss, Bush, & Sampson, 1997), and the Clinical Data Form (CDF; Westen & Shedler, 1999).

Prediction and moderation of improvement in cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic psychotherapy for panic disorder.

Objective: To identify variables predicting psychotherapy outcome for panic disorder or indicating which of 2 very different forms of psychotherapy-panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy (PFPP) or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-would be more effective for particular patients.

Method: Data were from 161 adults participating in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) including these psychotherapies. Patients included 104 women; 118 patients were White, 33 were Black, and 10 were of other races; 24 were Latino(a).

Psychotherapy Technique Related to Changes in Anxiety Symptoms With a Transdiagnostic Sample.

The current study examined how techniques in a psychodynamic model of therapy (Blagys and Hilsenroth, Clin Psychol Sci Pract. 7, 167-188, 2000) were related to changes in anxiety symptoms across early treatment process among a transdiagnostic sample of patients with primary anxiety disorder, subclinical anxiety disorder, and no anxiety disorder. Secondary analyses examined the use of specific psychodynamic techniques in relation to symptom change.

Perfectionism and Therapeutic Alliance: A Review of the Clinical Research.

In this review, we synthesize findings regarding the relationship between perfectionism and therapeutic alliance, most of which come from analyses by Blatt and colleagues. Results suggest what follows. First, patients' initial level of perfectionism negatively affects patients' bond with therapists and perception of therapists' Rogerian attributes (empathy, congruence, and regard) early in treatment and engagement in therapy later in treatment.

Investigating an approach to the alliance based on interpersonal defense theory.

Objective: Notwithstanding consistent findings of significant relationships between the alliance and outcome, questions remain to be answered about the relatively small magnitude of those correlations, the mechanisms underlying the association, and how to conceptualize the alliance construct. We conducted a preliminary study of an approach to the alliance based on interpersonal defense theory, which is an interpersonal reconceptualization of defense processes, to investigate the promise of this alternative approach as a way to address the outstanding issues.

Method: We employed qualitative, theory-building case study methodology, closely examining alliance processes at four time points in the treatment of a case in terms of a case formulation based on interpersonal defense theory.

Patient and Therapist Perspectives During the Psychotherapy Termination Process: The Role of Participation and Exploration.

Objective: This study was the first to examine psychotherapy termination from both therapists' and patients' perspectives by using standardized psychotherapy process measures. Our aim was to examine whether patient participation and therapist exploration during the termination phase of treatment are related to how good and productive the session was.

Method: The sample consisted of 30 outpatient adults who had completed the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Process Scale-Short form (VPPS-S; Smith, Hilsenroth, Baity, & Knowles, 2003) and the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ; Stiles, 1980) during a termination-phase session.

Patient perspectives on ipilimumab across the melanoma treatment trajectory.

Purpose: Ipilimumab was the first FDA-approved agent for advanced melanoma to improve survival and represents a paradigm shift in melanoma and cancer treatment. Its unique toxicity profile and kinetics of treatment response raise novel patient education challenges. We assessed patient perceptions of ipilimumab therapy across the treatment trajectory.

Psychometric Properties of the Reconstructed Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Scales.

Although widely used, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) discriminate poorly between depression and anxiety. To address this problem, Riskind, Beck, Brown, and Steer (J Nerv Ment Dis. 175:474-479, 1987) created the Reconstructed Hamilton Scales by reconfiguring HRSD and HARS items into modified scales.

Inhibitory Control under Threat: The Role of Spontaneous Eye Blinks in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

This study is the first to explore spontaneous eye blink rate (sEBR) in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We investigated the connection between the magnitude of flanker interference in PTSD participants and sEBR during performance on a modified version of the Eriksen flanker task. As a peripheral measure of cognitive control and dopaminergic function, sEBR may illuminate the relationship between PTSD and executive function.

The Working Alliance in Psychiatric Care: Agreement Communication and Trust in Action.

The physician-patient working alliance has been associated with improved patient satisfaction and adherence. However, up until now there has only been a patient form with which to assess the working alliance in medicine. The current study presents the provider form of the physician-patient working alliance, along with psychometric evidence and support.

Reducing Dropout in Treatment for Depression: Translating Dropout Predictors Into Individualized Treatment Recommendations.

Objective: Premature discontinuation of therapy is a widespread problem that hampers the delivery of mental health treatment. A high degree of variability has been found among rates of premature treatment discontinuation, suggesting that rates may differ depending on potential moderators. In the current study, our aim was to identify demographic and interpersonal variables that moderate the association between treatment assignment and dropout.

Perceived criticism predicts outcome of psychotherapy for panic disorder: Replication and extension.

Objective: We tested the relation of perceived criticism (PC) from a parent or spouse/romantic partner to outcome of psychotherapy for panic disorder (PD).

Method: Participants were 130 patients with PD (79% with agoraphobia) who received 24 twice-weekly sessions of panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or applied relaxation therapy. Patients were predominantly White (75%), female (64%), and non-Hispanic (85%).

Self-compassion mediates the link between dependency and depressive symptomatology in college students.

Depression is highly prevalent among college students and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Dependency is among the known personality traits that predict an elevated risk for depression. Prior research has focused on the depressogenic role of self-critical thoughts among destructive overdependent (DO) individuals but has not considered other internal processes (such as self-compassion) that might influence mental health.

Biases in research: risk factors for non-replicability in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy research.

Replicability of findings is an essential prerequisite of research. For both basic and clinical research, however, low replicability of findings has recently been reported. Replicability may be affected by research biases not sufficiently controlled for by the existing research standards.

Patients' affective processes within initial experiential dynamic therapy sessions.

Research has indicated that patients' in-session experience of previously avoided affects may be important for effective psychotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate patients' in-session levels of affect experiencing in relation to their corresponding levels of insight, motivation, and inhibitory affects in initial Experiential Dynamic Therapy (EDT) sessions. Four hundred sixty-six 10-min video segments from 31 initial sessions were rated using the Achievement of Therapeutic Objectives Scale.

Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment.

In recent years there has been increasing emphasis on evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP), and as is true in most health care professions, the primary focus of EBPP has been on treatment. Comparatively little attention has been devoted to applying the principles of EBPP to psychological assessment, despite the fact that assessment plays a central role in myriad domains of empirical and applied psychology (e.g.

The physician-patient working alliance: Theory, research, and future possibilities.

Objective: This article discusses the physician-patient working alliance and reviews the empirical research that has been generated on the working alliance to date.

Methods: The paper presents a brief history of the study of the physician-patient relationship, and discusses constructs that have examined aspects of the relationship, such as empathy, trust, and shared decision-making. Lastly, a meta-analysis was conducted based on the seven empirical studies (a total N of 1023 patients) that have examined the physician-patient working alliance.

The role of avoidant and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder traits in matching patients with major depression to cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapy: A replication study.

Background: Barber and Muenz (1996) reported that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) was more effective than interpersonal therapy (IPT) for depressed patients with elevated levels of avoidant personality disorder, while IPT was more effective than CBT in patients with elevated levels of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. These findings may have important clinical implications, but have not yet been replicated.

Methods: We conducted a study using data from a randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of CBT and short-term psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy in the outpatient treatment of depression.

Social relationships, loneliness, and mental health among older men and women in Ireland: A prospective community-based study.

Background: Data is lacking on the association of interpersonal stressors and social isolation with mental disorders and the mediating role of loneliness. Thus, we examined this association prospectively using community-based data.

Methods: Data on 6105 adults aged ≥50 years from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) was analyzed.

Previous Institutionalization Is Followed by Broader Amygdala-Hippocampal-PFC Network Connectivity during Aversive Learning in Human Development.

Unlabelled: Early institutional care can be profoundly stressful for the human infant, and, as such, can lead to significant alterations in brain development. In animal models, similar variants of early adversity have been shown to modify amygdala-hippocampal-prefrontal cortex development and associated aversive learning. The current study examined this rearing aberration in human development.

Integrative dynamic therapy for bulimia nervosa: An evidence-based case study.

Both cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic psychotherapy are commonly used to treat eating disorders. To further investigate the effectiveness of integrative dynamic therapy (IDT) for bulimia nervosa (BN), our research group undertook a randomized, controlled pilot study comparing IDT with CBT for BN. The case described here was selected from a sample of N = 38 female patients with the symptoms of BN who enrolled in the study.

Relationship Between Patient SWAP-200 Personality Characteristics and Therapist-Rated Therapeutic Alliance Early in Treatment.

In the present study, we assess the extent to which patient personality features and prototypes are associated with early treatment therapist-rated alliance. The study sample consisted of 94 patients receiving psychodynamic psychotherapy at an outpatient clinic. Clinicians completed the Working Alliance Inventory (J Couns Psychol 36:223-233; Psychother Res 9:405-423) to assess their views of early alliance and the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure 200 (SWAP-200; Assessment 5:333-353, Am J Psychiatry 161:1350-1365, 1743-1754; Am J Psychiatry 156:258-272, 273-285) to assess patient personality.

Motivational Text Message Intervention for Eating Disorders: A Single-Case Alternating Treatment Design Using Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Objective: This study tested a motivational text message treatment adjunct for individuals with eating disorders (EDs) who exhibited high dietary restraint/restriction.

Method: A replicated single-case alternating treatment design was used to examine (a) the feasibility of combining a brief motivational interview with subsequent text messages and (b) the influence of the text messages on eating behaviors and motivation to change in individuals with EDs (N=12). The protocol was 8weeks and the text messages were adjunctive to cognitive-behavioral therapy.