Understanding "patient deterioration" in psychotherapy from depressed patients' perspectives: A mixed methods multiple case study

Objective:
This study scrutinizes the meaning of deterioration in psychotherapy beyond the widely used statistical definition of reliable symptom increase pre-to-post treatment.

Method:
An explanatory sequential mixed-methods multiple case study was conducted, combining quantitative pre-post outcome evaluation of self-reported depression symptoms and qualitative analysis of patients' interviews. In a Randomized Controlled Study on the treatment of Major Depression, three patients showing reliable increase in symptom severity on the BDI-II pre-to-post therapy were selected. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was performed on individual interviews conducted pre-, peri- and post-treatment.

Results:
Cross-case outcome experiences were: (1) uncontrollable complaints; (2) remaining questions and uninternalized insights and (3) persisting interpersonal difficulties. Within-case idiosyncratic differences revealed that the statistical classification of "deterioration" not necessarily corresponds to a "deteriorated experience," nor univocally indicates unwanted therapy effects. Our findings point at the influences of the patient's (lack of) agency in the process, a discrepancy between patients' expectations and the therapy offer, the therapeutic relationship, interpersonal difficulties, and contextual influences.

Conclusion:
The meaning of symptomatic deterioration should be interpreted within a patient's idiosyncratic context. The multi-faceted nature of deterioration requires further research to rely on multiple perspectives and mixed methods.