Construct validity of the Experiences of Therapy Questionnaire (ETQ)

Abstract

Background: The Experiences of Therapy Questionnaire (ETQ) is a reliable measure of adverse effects associated with psychotherapy. The measure has not been subject to validity analyses. This study sought to examine the validity of the ETQ by comparison against a measure of therapist satisfaction. Methods: Participants were recruited from the Black Dog Institute's website and completed all measures online, at two time points (two weeks apart). Correlational analyses compared scale scores on the ETQ with related constructs of the Therapist Satisfaction Scale (TSS). To exclude any impact of current depression on ratings, we examined correlations between salient ETQ and TSS scales after controlling for depression severity. Results: Forty-six participants completed all the measures at both time points. Hypothesised associations between the ETQ and TSS scales were supported, irrespective of current depression severity. Conclusions: The validity of the ETQ is supported; however limitations of the study are noted, including generalizability due to sample characteristics.