Nomothetic outcome assessment in counseling and psychotherapy: Development and preliminary psychometric analyses of the Depression/Anxiety Negative Affect Scale

摘要: AbstractNegative affect (NA) plays a significant role in the initiation, persistence, and response to psychotherapy of many client problems (Moses & Barlow, 2006). This report describes development brief NA measure, Depression/Anxiety Negative Affect (DANA) scale, preliminary analyses its psychometric properties. An initial pool DANA items was selected on basis review relevant literature about emotion science counseling outcomes, related tests, feedback from psychotherapists as part pilot test. The evaluated two representative clinical samples where produced total 363 session ratings with 81 clients. scores evidenced adequate internal consistency, evidence convergent discriminant validity, sensitivity change over course psychotherapy. Effect sizes (ES) consistently equaled or exceeded average ES .68 found for scales assessing outcomes meta-analytic studies (Smith Glass, 1977). ESs greater than 1 were variables clients whose therapists rated them experiencing, rather avoiding, NA.Key words: Sensitivity change, negative affect, outcomesFor most psychotherapists, working is an essential element (Mergenthaler, 1996; Moses Teyber McClure (201 1, p. 184) maintained that "painful feelings lie at heart enduring problems, help when they respond effectively them." Research indicates improvement associated verbalization affective processing (Diener, Hilsenroth, Weinberger, 2007; Greenberg, Korman, Paivio, 2001). Depending particular therapist's theoretical orientation, this focus can work through emotional such depression anxiety, prepare behavior stop ruminating so more adaptive cognitions occur.Barrett (2006a) suggested "is neurophysiological barometer individual's relation environment given point time" (p. 48). Feelings perform crucial function: They inform individuals their status perceived (Campbell-Sills 2007) subsequently provide powerful motivation human activity (Frijda, 1986). Izard (2007) wrote primacy emotions means influence wide range systems perception behavior. Relevant psychotherapy, researchers have positive (PA) be useful descriptions basic across cultures (Barrett, 2006b; Izard, 2007). refers experienced unpleasant aversive (such sadness fear) while PA pleasant states happiness) 2006b). Two states, been described "the common reactions stressful life events" (Carter, 2007, 28).NA anxiety are present beginning therapy decrease effective progresses. Vermeersch, Lambert, Burlingame (2000), Weinstock Meier (2003), Vermeersch et al. (2004), example, conducted outcome examined during item level several measures. Assessing broad problem domains 7,344 who received services university centers, outpatient clinic, private practitioners, employee assistance programs, these anxiety-related larger effect other domains. Similarly, Krampen (2010) scale 2 outpatients largest changes appeared distress anxiety. …