The Use of Brief Measures in Analytic Behavioral Therapy with Older Adults

Abstract

The evaluation of the effectiveness of analytical–behavioral therapy (TAC) is the target of numerous questions about the absence of evidence production. The objective of this study was to verify the applicability of brief and quantitative measures to evaluate changes throughout the psychotherapeutic process based on TAC with elderly people. For this, four elderly people attended by therapiststrainees in a clinic-school participated. For the measures of the subjective description about the result of the intervention, we used the Session Inventory and the Results Inventory. The independent variable of the study was the TAC and the dependent variables were the personal, social, family and global well-being of the participants and the therapeutic relationship, measured by means of the mentioned instruments. The design of the study was almost-experimental, since no strategies were used to manipulate LV, nor measures of comparison, and it is not possible to answer on the effectiveness of this, only present the evolution of the understanding of participants on the subjective effect of therapy in different areas of life and on the therapeutic relationship. The results of Participants 1, 3 and 4 showed higher averages (above 3) demonstrating positive evaluation regarding the progress of therapy in different areas of life, besides highlighting positive subjective perception (M > 3) about the therapeutic relationship. Participant 2 obtained lower averages, the complexity of the clinical case of this participant is highlighted. It should be noted that the evaluations made by clients varied according to the behaviors reported in the session, that is, the situations experienced in the week before the service. Thus, the use of brief measures can be a viable tool to evaluate changes in client perceptions throughout the therapeutic process, assisting in the conduct of the TAC by providing clues that direct the strategies to be used by the professional throughout the sessions.