Issues and methods in psychotherapy process research

Some of the problems and issues that have characterized process research in psychotherapy are discussed, as is the complexity of research that attempts to combine process and outcome adequately. The diversity of topics studied, the variety of scales used, the individual theoretical constructs investigated, the investigation of single process variables, and the relative lack of replication have made integration of findings difficult. It is suggested that more than one therapeutic orientation be studied in a specific project in order that some type of control be included. Although statistically significant correlations between selected process variables and measures of outcome have been secured, proof of causality remains to be demonstrated.