Perceived curative factors and their relationship to outcome: a study of schizophrenic patients in a comprehensive treatment program based on cognitive therapy

Toward uncovering robust principles of change inherent to cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis

Cognitive-behavioral therapies for people with schizophrenia have added value to the existing treatment of psychotic symptoms. This article aims at taking a closer look at the research results of multiple studies in order to delineate the specific and nonspecific factors related to the cognitive-behavioral practice that influence treatment robustness.

Consumers' perspectives on helpful and hindering factors in mental health treatment

We summarize the four papers in this issue by consumers evaluating their mental health treatment, focusing on aspects of their treatment that they collectively found helpful and hindering. These factors include the context of treatment, the therapy relationship, interventions used and issues addressed, helpful experiences outside the mental health system, and hindering views of mental illness and treatment. We then present comments by two clients in outpatient therapy on the same topic. Research on clients' perceptions of their outpatient psychotherapy is discussed in reference to these six consumer perspectives, and future directions for therapists and researchers are suggested.

Relationships among patient and therapist ratings of therapeutic alliance and patient assessments of therapeutic process: a study of cognitive therapy with long-term mentally ill patients

The therapeutic alliance as rated by therapists and patients was assessed every 5 weeks throughout the treatment period in an in-patient treatment program for schizophrenic and other long-term mentally ill patients. The patients (N = 26) also assessed perceived curative factors (Curative Factors Questionnaire) and made therapy session evaluations (Session Evaluation Questionnaire). The most important patient rated factors showing a relationship with therapist-rated alliance were in the initial phase of treatment depth in the therapy sessions, in the working phase the experience of involvement in the treatment, and in the discharge phase perceived helpfulness of encouragement and reassurance. The investigation of curative factors, session evaluations, and alliance as rated by patients showed a relationship in the initial phase between alliance and encouragement, reassurance and awareness, in the working phase between alliance and depth in sessions and "talking to someone who understands," and in the discharge phase between alliance and self-understanding and problem solution.