Patients' expectations of therapeutic improvement and their outcomes

Authors:
  • SBS Bloch
    S Bloch
  • GBG Bond
    G Bond
  • BQB Qualls
    B Qualls
  • IYI Yalom
    I Yalom
  • EZE Zimmerman
    E Zimmerman
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Abstract
The authors studied the relationship between patients' expectations of therapeutic improvement and their actual outcomes after 8 and 12 months of group psychotherapy. Using patients' self-evaluations and assessments by therapists and independent judges, they found a positive relationship between expectations and outcomes only when assessments were derived from patients. The authors discuss the possibility of a continuing expectational set in patients toward psychotherapy.