Abstract
Objective: The authors extend previous research on homework in psychotherapy by examining the relationship between homework compliance and therapeutic outcome among depressed older adult outpatients (N = 63), addressing previous limitations by using session-by-session therapist ratings of homework compliance and including both interviewer ratings and patient self-reports of outcomes. Methods: Patients were participants in a randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of desipramine versus cognitivel/behavioral therapy-alone (C/B-Alone) versus a combination of the two (Combined). Given the current study's focus on homework compliance, only patients assigned to conditions with assigned homework in the clinical trial (i.e., C/B-Alone and Combined conditions) were included. Results: Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that homework compliance contributed significantly to posttreatment outcome as measured by both interviewer-administered and patient self-report measures of depression. A separate series of ANOVAs also found significant differences in pre-posttreatment change between patients scoring above and below the median of reported homework compliance. Findings were similar for patients in the C/B-Alone and Combined conditions. Conclusion: The study's results call for additional research on issues related to homework compliance with older adult patients.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 53-61 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2003 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Psychiatry and Mental health