The Effects of Gender Matching and Experience Level of Therapist on Psychotherapy Process and Outcome with Adolescents in Long-Term Residential Treatment

Abstract

This study, conducted at Chestnut Lodge Hospital, explored the main and interactional effects of the independent variables; gender match and therapist experience level on the dependent variables; psychotherapy process and outcome, for adolescents hospitalized for an average of 31 months. Therapist orientation was psychoanalytic. Psychotherapy process was measured by quality of therapeutic alliance during hospitalization. Psychotherapy outcome was measured by change in severity of illness as assessed using Endicott and Spitzer's Global Assessment Scale (GAS). This study did not find any main effects of gender match or therapist experience level on psychotherapy process or outcome. A significant interaction between patient-therapist gender match and therapist experience level (2 levels; $Descriptor: PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL