Claudia Prestano

The factorial structure of the outcome questionnaire-45: a study with an Italian sample

In this article, the authors study the factorial structure of the Italian translation of the Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45) in a sample of college students (n = 522) and psychiatric outpatients (n = 301). The relative goodness of fit of six competing models of the OQ-45 was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Specifically, the study examined the relative fit of the most frequently presented models in the literature and three alternative models. Results of the CFA provided support for the four factor bi-level solution, suggesting that the OQ-45 is a multidimensional instrument that contains one general factor and multiple unique subscale factors.

Group analytic therapy for eating disorders: preliminary results in a single-group study.

OBJECTIVES There is a lack of empirical data on the effectiveness and process of group-analytic therapy in eating disorders. This single-group study aimed to explore the effectiveness of such treatment for anorexic and bulimic individuals. METHOD Eight patients (three anorexic and five bulimic women) entered group-analytic treatment, meeting weekly for 2 years. Eating behaviours, overall psychological distress and group process variables were regularly assessed using quantitative and qualitative measures, with comparisons made at the beginning and end of the therapy. RESULTS Treatment was discontinued in two cases. When outcome was classified on the basis of reliable change and clinical significance for the remaining patients at the end of treatment, four were recovered in terms of overall psychological distress, while one was unchanged and one had deteriorated. In terms of eating disorder symptoms, three patients were recovered, two were unchanged and one had deteriorated. Patients experienced an overall positive group climate and a positive group alliance. Perception of being understood by the therapist appeared to play an important role in the therapeutic process. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results suggest that group-analytic therapy may be effective in helping patients with eating disorders. However, more work is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

The Outcome Questionnaire 45.2. Italian validation of an instrument for the assessment of phychological treatments

AIMS The Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45.2; Lambert et al., 2004) was designed to measure important areas of functioning (symptoms, interpersonal problems and social role functioning) that are of central interest in mental health. The cross-cultural validity of the OQ-45.2 in the Italian population has been examined by comparing the psychometric properties and equivalence in factor structure and normative scores of the Italian OQ with the original American version. METHOD Data were collected at university (N = 461), in community (N = 61) and in three mental health care organisations (N = 301). RESULTS Results showed that the psychometric properties of the Italian OQ were adequate and similar to the original instrument. The CFA supported the multidimentional construct system of the instrument. Furthermore, normative scores were different for the Italian and American samples and this resulted in different cutoff scores for estimating clinically significant change in the Italian population. CONCLUSIONS The Italian version of the OQ-45.2 appears promising as a measure of general psychological distress, and it could be used to measure the psychotherapy outcome in routine clinical practice.

Relational Goods: Costs and Effectiveness

Our society has undergone a great technological evolution but insufficient development about the psychic and relational maturity. In this article we affirm that group analysis and the clinical group can give a great contribution to the development of relational goods. These relational goods can become the great political objective for humanity in the third millennium. Furthermore, we believe that a therapeutic and systematic treatment can be useful in terms of costs and effectiveness.

A Therapist’s Different Style of Intervention in Two Group Treatments

In this paper we compare interventions of the same group analyst in two different groups - a traditional slow-open group of six out-patients with Eating Disorders diagnosis (all female; age: 16-26) and a time-limited, group of eight outpatients (different in age and sex) with organic vision disturbances. Our aim was to see if the same group therapist adopts different therapeutic interpretative interventions in the two groups, depending on the aims of each group and the different patients’ diagnosis. The sessions were recorded, transcribed and coded by the Code of Analysis of the Therapeutic Field Style (SCAT). In the traditional group, the therapist’s intervention style is focused more on interpretative individual interventions than the time-limited group. Similarly, the DCA patients used more interpretative interventions in all the therapy stages. The results show that the Organizational Area is of great importance in the conducting of both groups.

Current Issues on Group Psychotherapy Research: An Overview

Recent efforts to improve group psychotherapy have focused on codifying both evidence-based treatments and therapeutic relationships. This chapter reviews the numerous advances in empirical research on group psychotherapy and highlights therapeutic practices ensuing from the evidence. The authors synthesize some of the most crucial development in group psychotherapy research, such as the effectiveness of group treatments, the mechanisms of change of group therapies, the components of group relationship, and issues regarding methodological problems associated with the analysis of group data.