The Effects of Written Prompts on Homework Compliance and Outcome in a Cognitive Behavioural Treatment for Depression and Research Portfolio

Lundie, Ewan M (1998) The Effects of Written Prompts on Homework Compliance and Outcome in a Cognitive Behavioural Treatment for Depression and Research Portfolio. D Clin Psy thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Objectives: To test whether between-session written prompts would increase quantity and quality of compliance with homework assignments and improve the overall outcome effects in a cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) for depression, independent of the effects of therapeutic empathy and motivation. Design: A single-subject-series repeated-measures design was used as this was considered to be the most effective way to investigate the hypotheses with the small n involved. The intervention was introduced using a multiple baseline across participants. Methods: Participants were seven outpatients referred to a community clinical psychology servtce. Assessment with The Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-IV) indicated that all were suffering from recurrent uni-polar depression. They were treated using CBT. The independent variable was the prompting letter. The dependent variables were therapist ratings of homework compliance and outcome (Hamilton Depressive Rating Scales) and patient self-ratings of motivation, therapeutic empathy, and outcome (including Beck Depression Inventory-II). Results: Prompting appeared to improve the quantity of compliance but not the quality. There was no clear indication that prompts were effective in improving outcome. Increases in quantity of compliance seemed to have a close association with increases in motivation. No such association was found with therapeutic empathy. Conclusions: Written prompts are an effective way of improving quantity of compliance with homework. This simple cost-effective method could improve the efficacy of various psychological and non-psychological treatments where non-compliance is an issue.

• Item Type: Thesis (D Clin Psy)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: Paul Fleming
• Keywords: Clinical psychology
• Date of Award: 1998
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1998-74510
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 27 Sep 2019 18:02
• Last Modified: 27 Sep 2019 18:02
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/74510