DOSE-EFFECT RELATIONS IN TIME-LIMITED PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR DEPRESSION

Criteria for reliable and clinically significant improvement were appl ied to standard and individually tailored outcome measures data from 2 12 depressed clients who had been randomly assigned to receive either 8 or 16 sessions of time-limited psychotherapy. The data were used to address 2 questions: (a) Is the dose- effect curve for psychological s ymptoms negatively accelerated? and (b) is there a differential rate o f response for acute, chronic, and characterological/interpersonal com ponents of depression? The results supported the differential rate of response of different components of depression and suggested qualifica tions to the acute, chronic, and characterological/interpersonal compo nents and evidence that both supported and qualified previous suggesti ons that the dose-effect curve is negatively accelerated.