The effects of training in time-limited dynamic psychotherapy: Changes in therapeutic outcome

The present study explored the effects on therapeutic outcomes of training therapists in brief manualized therapy. As part of the Vanderbilt II projec t, each of 16 therapists (8 psychiatrists and 8 clinical psychologists) tre ated 2 moderately disturbed adult patients using his or her customary short -term treatment methods; they then received a year of training in a manuali zed form of brief dynamic therapy, Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy (TLDP ); finally, they administered TLDP to 2 additional patients. It was hypothe sized that training could result in improved outcomes generally and that di fferentially greater improvement would be seen in patients commonly conside red less suitable for brief dynamic therapy. Outcome data obtained at termi nation failed to support either hypothesis. Measurements of interpersonal d ependency obtained at a one-year follow-up were consistent with the first h ypothesis, but the follow-up data were inconsistent with the second. A syst ematic review of the 32 posttraining cases suggested that the majority of t he therapists had not achieved basic competence at TLDP.