The British Journal of Psychiatry 144: 567-575 (1984)
© 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

The clarification and assessment of a method of psychotherapy

DP Goldberg, RF Hobson, GP Maguire, FR Margison, T O'Dowd, M Osborn and S Moss

The 'conversational model' of psychotherapy was investigated with a view to discovering which behaviours distinguish psychotherapists trained in this method from others, of equal clinical experience. A rating scheme designed to capture the theoretical aspects of the model, and 30 predictions were made concerning behaviours which were expected to distinguish the psychotherapists. Five psychotherapists were matched to five psychiatrists who had not been trained in this method; each doctor took on four patients for therapy, and each patient was seen on five occasions. All interviews were recorded, and excerpts from the recordings rated. Only ten of the 30 predictions were upheld. In ten further predictions, the psychotherapists displayed the appropriate behaviours, but the behaviours were not peculiar to the model, since eclectic psychiatrists also displayed them. Six model behaviours were not practised frequently by the psychotherapists, and four 'non-model' behaviours were equally common in either group. The research formed the basis for the preparation of materials to teach psychotherapeutic skills in a more efficient way.