Investigating follow-up outcome change using hierarchical linear modeling

Individual change in outcome during a one-year follow-up period for 98 pati ents who received either interpretive or supportive psychotherapy was exami ned using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). This followed a previous stud y that had investigated average (treatment condition) change during follow- up using traditional methods of data analysis (repeated measures ANOVA, chi -square tests). We also investigated whether two patient personality charac teristics-quality of object relations (QOR) and psychological mindedness (P M)-predicted individual change. HLM procedures yielded findings that were n ot detected using traditional methods of data analysis. New findings indica ted that the rate of individual change in outcome during follow-up varied s ignificantly among the patients. QOR was directly related to favorable indi vidual change for supportive therapy patients, but not for patients who rec eived interpretive therapy. The findings have implications for determining which patients will show long-term benefit following short-term supportive therapy and how to enhance it. The study also found significant association s between QOR and final outcome level.