Therapist experience, general clinical ability, and treatment outcome in schizophrenia

Knowledge of the effect of therapist training and experience on the outcome of treatment of schizophrenic patients is scanty. The present article presents data systematically collected in the course of a controlled comparison of the effects of 5 different treatment methods in schizophrenia (individu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 1978-10, Vol.46 (5), p.1120-1126
Main Authors: Tuma, A. Hussain, May, Philip R, Yale, Coralee, Forsythe, Alan B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Clinical Competence
Drug Therapy
Educational Background
Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Human
Humans
Individual Psychotherapy
Job Experience Level
Length of Stay
Male
Psychiatrists
Psychotherapeutic Outcomes
Psychotherapy
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - drug therapy
Schizophrenia - therapy
Therapeutic Community
Therapist Characteristics
Tranquilizing Agents - therapeutic use
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Summary:Knowledge of the effect of therapist training and experience on the outcome of treatment of schizophrenic patients is scanty. The present article presents data systematically collected in the course of a controlled comparison of the effects of 5 different treatment methods in schizophrenia (individual psychotherapy, ataractic drug treatment, individual psychotherapy and drug treatment, ECT, and "milieu" care) involving 228 1st-admission schizophrenics without significant prior treatment and 38 psychiatric residents or recently graduated psychiatrists. Among the 23 outcome variables studied (including the Menninger Health-Sickness Scale, the Camarillo Dynamic Assessment Scale, the MMPI, the Communication subscale of the MACC Behavioral Adjustment Scale, and the Clyde Mood Scale), there was not a single instance in which the effect of therapist experience and general clinical ability was significantly related to outcome. There appeared to be, however, differences among therapists' results that were not related to experience and general clinical ability, particularly in relation to the length of time that they kept their patients in hospital. Drug treatment tended to override but perhaps not entirely eliminate these effects. (36 ref)
ISSN:0022-006X
1939-2117
DOI:10.1037/0022-006X.46.5.1120