Gains in Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy: Examining Treatment Progress and Processes of Change in a Psychiatric Outpatient Sample

This study aimed to evaluate: (1) treatment progress utilizing the cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) in an outpatient community sample and (2) whether treatment gains might be accounted for by situational analysis performance. A total of 24 psychiatric outpatients receiving CBASP from psychology trainees participated in this study. Repeated measures ANOVAs were utilized to examine changes in self-reported depression symptoms over four sessions and clinician global functioning ratings over the treatment course. Self-reported depression symptoms and clinician-rated patient functioning significantly improved over four sessions and the treatment course, respectively. After accounting for the effects of situational analysis performance, these metrics no longer significantly improved. Findings point to the potential effectiveness of CBASP delivered by trainees in improving depression symptoms and overall functioning. Results also suggest that further investigation of a patient's ability to successfully conduct situational analyses may be indicated since this ability may contribute to these improvements.