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News from the Research Team
We have been making steady progress on the SAATA research in depression. Here are the highlights for you to appreciate the work that has gone in.
Three researcher psychotherapists worked with one client each. They obtained consent to participate in the research from the clients. The clients had symptoms of depression. They followed the research protocol specified by Dr. Mark Widdowson that uses the HSCED (Hermeneutic Single Case Efficacy Design) Model (Eliott and Shapiro) with additional adjudication by three independent judges. Therapists carrying out HSCED studies on their own clients is a way of bridging the research-practice gap.
The goal was to write a case study that demonstrated the impact of TA therapy on the treatment of depression. The researchers did therapy as they would normally do. They just recorded everything they did and measured the outcomes using validated instruments. The protocol specified 16 sessions with each client, which was made flexible. Some therapists have worked longer with their clients. Some of them have had positive outcomes, but some others may have had mixed outcomes. The goal is to publish all the cases so that there is more evidence-based research available on how TA-based therapy works.
Each client filled 3 quantitative outcome assessments at the beginning of every session (CORE-10, PHQ-9, GAD -7). In addition, some researchers used the FIAT instrument at the beginning and end of their work, and some used Personality Questionnaires. Some researchers also used the HAT (Helpful aspects of Therapy) form at the end of the session.
The researchers recorded all sessions. They were supervised through the course of their work with these clients.
Each researcher has written a rich case record - this comprised of some basic background information about the client and therapist, plus a comprehensive set of quantitative data and qualitative information relating to the therapy process and outcome. Data from change interviews at the end of treatment, after a month and after 3 months, was included. In the change interview, the client was invited to describe any changes that they had experienced over the course of their therapy. The attributions that they made for these changes - any helpful and hindering aspects of their therapy process; any personal attributes that may have helped or hindered them to use the therapy process; and helpful and hindering aspects/events in their lives while they were in therapy.
The rich case record was reviewed by an independent set of three practitioners who did an affirmative and skeptic report based on defined criteria. These reports were done by TA practitioners. These included CTAs and other experienced TA practitioners. We were so glad that people volunteered their time generously and worked professionally to create these reports. Mark guided us through the process.
The report answered the questions
1. Did the client change substantially over the course of therapy?
2. Is this change substantially due to the effect of the therapy?
3. What factors may be responsible for the change?
As of now, we are reaching out to independent “judges” – three for each paper. These judges are senior practitioners outside the TA field. They will review the evidence provided by the affirmative and skeptic teams and give their opinions on the central research question of client change, and the causal role of therapy in that change. It has been exciting to tell senior practitioners about this research. It is helping develop curiosity about Transactional Analysis and is allowing others to witness the work we do. We hope to publish these papers next year.
-Aruna Gopakumar, VP Research and Publication
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