Predictors of Differential Response to Cognitive, Experiential, and Self-Directed Psychotherapeutic Procedures

Larry E. Beutler*, David Engle, David Mohr, Roger J. Daldrup, John Bergan, Keith Meredith, William Merry

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

198 Scopus citations

Abstract

Group cognitive therapy (CT), focused expressive psychotherapy (FEP; a form of group experiential psychotherapy), and supportive, self-directed therapy (S/SD) were compared among 63 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Variation among patients' coping styles (externalization) and defensiveness (resistance potential) was used in a prospective test of hypothesized differential treatment-patient interactions. Results suggest that patient characteristics can be used differentially to assign psychotherapy types. Externalizing depressed patients improved more than nonexternalizing depressed patients in CT, whereas nonexternalizing (internalizing) patients improved most in S/SD. Conversely, high defensive (resistant) patients improved more in S/SD than in either FEP or CT, whereas low defensive patients improved more in CT than in S/SD.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)333-340
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Volume59
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1991

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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