A1 Journal article (refereed)
Predicting the working alliance over the course of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy with the Rorschach Ego Impairment Index, self-reported defense style, and performance-based intelligence : An evaluation of three methodological approaches (2021)
Stenius, J., Knekt, P., Heinonen, E., Holma, J., Antikainen, R., & Lindfors, O. (2021). Predicting the working alliance over the course of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy with the Rorschach Ego Impairment Index, self-reported defense style, and performance-based intelligence : An evaluation of three methodological approaches. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 38(1), 58-67. https://doi.org/10.1037/pap0000318
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Stenius, Jaakko; Knekt, Paul; Heinonen, Erkki; Holma, Juha; Antikainen, Risto; Lindfors, Olavi
Journal or series: Psychoanalytic Psychology
ISSN: 0736-9735
eISSN: 1939-1331
Publication year: 2021
Publication date: 02/07/2020
Volume: 38
Issue number: 1
Pages range: 58–67
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Publication country: United States
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/pap0000318
Publication open access:
Publication channel open access:
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/75417
Abstract
Better therapeutic alliances are known to predict better treatment outcomes, but little knowledge still exists on the patient characteristics that lead to better alliances. In a sample of 128 outpatients assigned to long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and suffering from mood and/or anxiety disorder, this study evaluated how the alliance, measured using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), is predicted by three different measures for assessing psychological resources and vulnerabilities: the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS–R), the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), and the Rorschach-based Ego Impairment Index (EII-2). All the three measures showed some ability to predict the development of the alliance during long-term therapy. The WAIS–R was found to be the strongest independent predictor, with higher intelligence scores predicting favorable development of both the patient- and therapist-rated alliance. Lower DSQ values, indicating less use of immature defenses, predicted greater improvement in the patient- but not the therapist-rated alliance. Higher EII-2 values, indicating more problematic ego functioning, predicted likewise greater patient-rated alliance improvement over the course of treatment. These findings support the value of pretreatment multimethod psychological assessment when tailoring treatment to the individual needs of patients.
Keywords: psychotherapy; anxiety; anxiety disorders; research methods; measuring instruments (indicators)
Free keywords: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised; Defense Style Questionnaire; Rorschach; Ego; Impairment Index; Working Alliance Inventory
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2021
JUFO rating: 1