Matthew Price1, Jessica L Maples2, Tanja Jovanovic3, Seth D Norrholm3,4, Mary Heekin3, Barbara O Rothbaum3. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. 2. Department of Psychology, University of Georgia. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University. 4. Mental Health Service Line, Trauma Recovery Project, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Outcome expectancy, or the degree to which a client believes that therapy will result in improvement, is related to improved treatment outcomes for multiple disorders. There is a paucity of research investigating this relation in regards to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, the bulk of the research on outcome expectancy and treatment outcomes has relied mostly on self-report outcome measures. METHODS: The relation between outcome expectancy on self-report measures, clinician-rated measures, and two biological indices (fear-potentiated startle and cortisol reactivity) of PTSD symptoms was explored. The sample included combat veterans (N = 116) treated with virtual reality exposure therapy for PTSD. RESULTS: Results supported a negative association between outcome expectancy and both self-report and clinician-rated symptoms at the conclusion of treatment, but outcome expectancy was related to the magnitude of change during treatment for self-report measures only. Outcome expectancy was unrelated to biological measures of treatment response. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that outcome expectancy may be related to patient and clinician perceptions of outcomes, but not biological indices of outcome for PTSD.
BACKGROUND: Outcome expectancy, or the degree to which a client believes that therapy will result in improvement, is related to improved treatment outcomes for multiple disorders. There is a paucity of research investigating this relation in regards to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, the bulk of the research on outcome expectancy and treatment outcomes has relied mostly on self-report outcome measures. METHODS: The relation between outcome expectancy on self-report measures, clinician-rated measures, and two biological indices (fear-potentiated startle and cortisol reactivity) of PTSD symptoms was explored. The sample included combat veterans (N = 116) treated with virtual reality exposure therapy for PTSD. RESULTS: Results supported a negative association between outcome expectancy and both self-report and clinician-rated symptoms at the conclusion of treatment, but outcome expectancy was related to the magnitude of change during treatment for self-report measures only. Outcome expectancy was unrelated to biological measures of treatment response. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that outcome expectancy may be related to patient and clinician perceptions of outcomes, but not biological indices of outcome for PTSD.
Authors: Matthew Price; Cynthia Luethcke Lancaster; Daniel F Gros; Alison C Legrand; Katherine van Stolk-Cooke; Ron Acierno Journal: Psychiatry Date: 2018-07-18 Impact factor: 2.458
Authors: Seth Davin Norrholm; Tanja Jovanovic; Maryrose Gerardi; Kathryn G Breazeale; Matthew Price; Michael Davis; Erica Duncan; Kerry J Ressler; Bekh Bradley; Albert Rizzo; Peter W Tuerk; Barbara O Rothbaum Journal: Behav Res Ther Date: 2016-05-07