Therapist interventions in early sessions of brief supportive-expressive psychotherapy for depression

Although psychotherapy manuals provide treatment guidelines, detailed descriptions of therapist interventions in manual-guided therapies are lacking. The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the types of therapist interventions in Supportive-Expressive (SE) psychotherapy for depression by using a molecular method of assessment and then to compare the results with those attained with a molar method. Four percent of therapist statements per session early in treatment were interpretations, which most often focused on the patient's parents, significant others, and self in the present time frame. This molecular method for assessing therapist interventions did converge with the molar adherence/competence method.