Attachment, Patient Self-disclosure and Psychotherapy Outcome

Attachment as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Patient Self-disclosure and Psychotherapy Outcome: Separating Within- From Between-patient Effects

This study investigates whether within- and between-patient effects of attachment moderate the association between self-disclosure and psychotherapy outcome.

Participants are recruited at the University Clinic Heidelberg at the beginning of their (usually) 8-week inpatient treatment. After informed consent, patients routinely fill out weekly questionnaires on attachment, self-disclosure, and symptom severity.

This study is the first to disentangle stable, trait-like (between-person) effects of both attachment and self-disclosure from within-person changes over the course of treatment. The study investigates whether (changes in) attachment moderate the association between (changes in) self-disclosure and psychotherapy outcome.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients of at least 18 years of age
• treated at the inpatient unit of a hospital for psychosomatic medicine
• provided measurements of symptoms, attachment style, and self-disclosure for at least one measurement occasion

Exclusion Criteria:

• bipolar, acute psychotic or substance abuse disorders