Exploring Associations Between Therapy Factors and Post-therapy Development After Naturalistic Psychotherapies

Earlier research on what contributes to long-term outcome after psychotherapy is scarce and scattered. Responding to this, the current study explores potential associations between therapy factors reported as salient by clients in naturalistic psychotherapy and variation in post-therapy-movement. Material from different codes and categories derived from an earlier content analysis was explored in relation to post-therapy-changes on OQ-45. In the first part of the study, two overarching themes (relational aspects and therapeutic operations) were included in a regression analysis of data from 32 clients. In the second part, more nuanced associations between material from different change- or process categories and post-therapy-movement were explored using data from 20 clients that showed reliable improvement at treatment termination but varied in later development. Reports of material related to relational aspects were recurrently associated with post-therapy improvement. Material suggesting that therapy was experienced as not fully complete (e.g., changes being superficial or wish for more treatment), as well as reports of more positive affect, correlated with later deterioration after improvement at termination. Different processes and changes appreciated by clients during therapy seem to vary as predictors of lasting gains.