Summary

The Helsinki Psychotherapy Study (HPS) aims to give a comprehensive picture of how two short-term therapies (solution-focused therapy, short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy) and two long-term therapies (long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis) are suited for the treatment of outpatients with mood or anxiety disorders.

The study is based on a total of 367 psychiatric outpatients, aged 20-46 years, who were recruited for the study from the Helsinki region, and assigned to treatments in 1994-2000. A 10-year follow-up evaluation since the start of treatments has been completed.

Effectiveness of Psychotherapies

The HPS compares the effectiveness of the four forms of psychotherapies in two separate designs. In a randomized design, patients were assigned to one of three treatment groups: solution-focused therapy, short-term psychodynamic and long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. In a quasi-experimental design, patients who were randomly assigned to psychotherapies are compared to patients who were self-selected for psychoanalysis.

The primary outcome measures are symptoms of depression and anxiety, and secondary measures include work ability, need for treatment, personality functioning, social functioning, and lifestyle. Cost-effectiveness of the treatments is also determined.

Other research interests

Apart from studying the effectiveness of treatments, HPS has several other research interests. The evaluation of the sufficiency of the treatments in achieving remission and recovery, is one major issue. It is closely related to the study of the use of auxiliary treatments and their determinants. Another major issue is the examination of factors related to patients' and therapists' suitability for short- vs. long-term therapies, based on a wide variety of patient-, therapist- and therapy-related predictors and outcome dimensions.

Both quantitative and qualitative methods are applied to meet these aims. Methodological research in the areas of development and implementation of statistical methods for evaluation of the effectiveness and efficacy and of measurement instruments has also been carried out.