COMPLIANCE WITH HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS IN COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR DEPRESSION - RELATION TO OUTCOME AND METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT

Despite the importance attached to homework in cognitive-behavioral th erapy for depression, quantitative studies of its impact on outcome ha ve been limited. One aim of the present study was to replicate a previ ous finding suggesting that improvement can be predicted from the qual ity of the client's compliance early in treatment. If homework is inde ed an effective ingredient in this form of treatment, it is important to know how compliance can be influenced. The second aim of the presen t study was to examine the effectiveness of several methods of enhanci ng compliance that have frequently been recommended to therapists. The data were drawn from 235 sessions received by 25 clients. Therapists' ratings of compliance following the first two sessions of treatment c ontributed significantly to the prediction of improvement at terminati on (though not at followup). However, compliance itself could not be p redicted from any of the clients' ratings of therapist behavior in rec ommending the assignments.