Evaluating the phase model of change during short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy

This study examined the phase model of psychotherapy change (Howard, Lueger , Maling, & Martinovich, 1993; Howard, Moras, Brill, Martinovich, & Lutz, 1 996) and assessed the domains of subjective well-being, symptomatic distres s, and social/interpersonal functioning during short-term psychodynamic psy chotherapy. Specifically, we assessed evaluation/third-session to ninth-ses sion changes in a group of 20 treated patients. These three domains were ex amined for both statistical and clinically significant change (Jacobson & T ruax, 1991). Treatment fidelity and credibility were also evaluated. Statis tical and clinically significant improvement in the domains of subjective w ell-being and symptom distress were evident by the ninth session of short-t erm dynamic psychotherapy. Statistical and reliable improvement were observ ed in relational functioning during the same time period. In addition, chan ges in both subjective well-being and symptomatic distress contributed uniq ue and separate variance to predicting changes in social/interpersonal func tioning. The results with respect to the differential effects predicted by the phase model of change during the early course of treatment are discusse d.