Research and
Publications

Research on Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy Process and Outcome Research –
The Research Program at Harvard Medical School –
Stuart Andrews, Ph.D. and Elke Schlager, Ph.D.

Under the direction of Research Director, Dr. Leigh McCullough, we studied the effect of therapeutic process on outcome. We helped develop the Achievement of Therapist Objectives Scales (ATOS) and, through a series of studies, established its psychometric reliability and validity. The ATOS was developed as a cross-theoretical psychotherapy process instrument to evaluate the impact of interventions on patient outcomes. The ATOS has been listed as one of the most promising scales for study of psychotherapy process¹. We also trained therapists who were preparing to conduct clinical trials on the Affect Phobia Model and trained of researchers in the coding of psychotherapy process measures.

¹ Siefert, et al. (2009). In R. Levy, & S. Ablon. Evidence-Based Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Clinical Currents in Psychiatry Series. J. Rosenbaum (Ed.). New York: Humana Press.