Latent trajectories of change for clients at a psychodynamic training clinic.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Employing practice-based research methods, we addressed the need to examine the effectiveness of psychodynamic treatment as a supplement to the efficacy evidence offered by randomized clinical trials. METHOD: We used person-centered analyses to generate latent subgroups of clients (N = 118; M age = 40.92; 53.4% female; 81.4% Caucasian; 80.5% heterosexual) receiving contemporary relational psychotherapy (CRP) at a psychodynamic community mental health training clinic. RESULTS: Subgroups of clients reported a change in depression, social conflict, and anxiety symptomatology, and overall life satisfaction, depicted by significant quadratic growth curves. Findings also offered exploratory support for a theoretical proposition from CRP that improved relational functioning would correspond to improved affect dysregulation and overall life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Clinical and training implications highlight the need to distinguish subgroups of "responders" and "nonresponders" to inform treatment.