Appraisal and coping in the process of patient change during short-term psychotherapy

The process of patient change during short-term dynamic therapy was followed in eight patients by repeatedly measuring their appraisal and coping with significant people and issues in their lives. Patients' ratings of their appraisal and their coping with each of these variables were compared to a line of optimal functioning, which describes the ideal appraisal/coping relationship. Two groups of patients were identified who must carry out different corrections on these measures during therapy in order to approximate the optimal functioning line. The appraisal/coping relationship measure appears promising as a way to reflect patient change during therapy.