Interpersonal problems as predictors of symptom related treatment outcome in longterm psychotherapy

It is already known from several research projects that interpersonal factors play an important role in the outcome of psychotherapy. This joint multicenter investigation looks into the relevance of interpersonal problems when prognosing the outcome of inpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy. 194 patients from six different hospitals suffering from a range of psychological disorders were examined before the beginning of therapy and on discharge by means of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) and the Symptom Checklist 90R (SCL-90-R). To assess alterations in the patients' descriptions of their symptoms as therapy proceeded, criteria for clinically significant changes were laid down. The results show there is a clear link between the patient's subjective assessment of his/her interpersonal problems at the beginning of therapy and the outcome of treatment. The patients whose symptoms had diminished most by the end of treatment were those who reported having the most severe interpersonal difficulties before treatment began. In line with other studies on this topic our results underline the potential significance of the patient's interpersonal problems when prognosing the outcome of treatment and prescribing psychodynamic psychotherapy.