SFT EVALUATION LIST - 1/11/98

In the European Brief Therapy Association we share questionnaires and research ideas with anyone who is prepared to share their ideas in return. As research coordinator I act as mailbox for questionnaires etc - presently have sets for: therapy follow-up by various means and at various times thereafter; post-session responses by clients to interview; effects of training on therapist practice; feedback about training courses by students.

UK Journal of Family Therapy published a special edition devoted to sft (1997, 19, 117-232).

Contemporary Family Therapy (USA) published an sft special in Spring 1997 (19, 1-144). It includes 10 papers from around the world on many aspects including: discourse and language in sft; sft in health development, prison, family medicine and abusive relationships; sft process evaluation and sft with reflecting teams.

EBTA Brugge 1997: sft in research papers must include client's input and collaboration; future-oriented questions; scaling. Study proposed (using anthropological methods) into the changes in therapists who use sft.

EBTA Salamanca 1998: proposed shared research project: define sft as used in therapy; agreed protocol of measures used; one team do all cases or many therapists do 2-3 'research protocol' cases each with central data processing (? processing paid for from EBTA funds).

EBTA homepage:http://www.ebta.nu
Briefftc: http://www.brief-therapy.org
Sft forum:listserv@maelstrom.stjohns.edu
Sft Webpage:http://rdz.stjohns.edu/~sft/

PUBLISHED OUTCOME STUDIES

Beyebach M, Morejon AR, Palenzuela DL, Rodriguez-Arias JL. Research on the process of solution-focused brief therapy. In: Miller SD, Hubble MA, Duncan BL (eds) (1996) Handbook of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco (p 299-334). 39 outpatients at mental health clinic; 80% goal achieved, avg 5 sess, mean 33 min / session; concrete goals and pretreatment change important.

Beyebach M, Rodriguez Sanchez M S, Arribas de Miguel J, Herrero de Vega M, Hernandez C, Rodriguez Morejon, A (1998, in press) Outcome of solution-focused therapy at a university family therapy center. 83 cases; telephone follow-up, most 1 yr +. 82% satisfied; no difference trainee / expert therapist; avg 4.7 sess. (mark.beyebach@upsa.es).

Burr W (1993) Evaluation der Anwendung losungsorientierter Kurztherapie in einer kinder- und jugendpsychiartischen Praxis (Evaluation of the use of brief therapy in a practice for children and youths). Familiendynamik, 18: 11-21. (German: abstract in English). 55 cases; follow-up 6-12 mon. 34 replies - 26 (77%) improved. Avg 4 sess; new problems reported in 4 with improvement and 4 without. (wburr@t-online.de)

Cruz J, Littrell JM (1998) Brief counseling with Hispanic-American college students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development (in press). 16 students; 2 sess; follow-up 2 wk. 10 achieved 54.7% of goal.

DeJong P, Hopwood LE Outcome research on treatment conducted at the Brief Family Therapy Center 1992-1993. In: Miller SD, Hubble MA, Duncan BL (eds) (1996) Handbook of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco (p 272-298). 275 cases: age 50%<19, 93%<45; avg 2.9 sess, 45% goal achieved, 32% some progress. (Immediate post therapy measure of change in scaling scores for 76% of this group: 25% significant progress; 49% moderate progress; 26% no progress. Berg IK and DeJong P Solution-building Conversations: Co-Constructing a Sense of Competence with Clients. Families in Society, 1996, 376-391)

de Shazer S (1985): Keys to Solutions in Brief Therapy. Norton: New York. (p147-157). 6 mon follow-up of 28 cases who had received formula first session task. 23 (82%) improved; 25 solved other problems. Avg 5 sess.

de Shazer S (1991). Putting Differences To Work. Norton: New York. (161-162). 29 cases: 23 (80%) reported that they had either resolved their original difficulty, or made significant progress towards resolving it. At 18 mon success rate was 86%; 67% reported other improvements also. Avg 4.6 sess: 4 sess or more did better. (Briefftc@aol.com)

Eakes G, Walsh S, Markowski M, Cain H, Swanson M (1997) Family-centred brief solution-focused therapy with chronic schizophrenia: a pilot study. Journal of Family Therapy, 19, 145-158. Experimental and control groups: 5 clients and families each. Reflecting team present; no miracle question. Experimental group: Family Environment Scale showed significant increase in expressiveness, active-recreational orientation and decrease in incongruence. Controls: moral-religious emphasis increased.

Franklin C, Biever J, Moore KC, Clemons D, Scamardo, M (1998) (submitted) The effectiveness of solution-focused therapy with children in a school setting. 19 cases: 7 investigated. 1 mon baseline (objective measures); avg 7 sess. Some improvement in all; 4 of 5 better at 1 mon followup.

Franklin C, Corcoran J, Nowicki J, Streeter CL (1997). Using client self-anchored scales to measure outcomes in solution-focused therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 16, 246-273. Pilot study (3 cases) of this measure as a test of outcome. (cfranklin@mail.utexas.edu)

George E, Iveson, C, Ratner H (1990) Problem to Solution. Brief Therapy Press: London. 41 of 62 traced were satisfied. (brief3@aol.com)

Isebaert L, de Shazer S (submitted) Alcohol programme, max 3/52 inpatient then outpatient care. Telephone review including relatives: A 250 cases at 5 yr; B 150 cases at 4 yr. A 49.1% (B 50%) abstinent; 25% (23.5) controlled drinking: of whom 58.6% (57) no problems. 88.8% (75) felt good; 79.2% (70.8) had no more treatment; 75% no relapses (uncommon in alcohol followups). (luc.isebaert@skynet.be).

Johnson LD, Shaha S (1996) Improving quality in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 33, 225-236. 38 cases, OQ-45 checklist (symptoms, relationships, social role). Improvement after avg. 4.77 sess.

Lambert MJ, Okiishi JC, Finch AE, Johnson LD (1998) Outcome assessment: From conceptualization to implementation. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 29, 63-70. 27 cases from Johnson & Shaha (1996) compared with 198 at university public mental health center. Both methods achieved 47% recovered by objective criteria (OQ-45) ('Improved' cases not reported); sft by 3rd, center by 25th sess. (ljohnson@INCONNECT.COM)

Lee MY (1997) A study of solution-focused brief family therapy: outcomes and issues.

American Journal of Family Therapy, 25, 3-17. 59 families; 6 mon telephone follow-up, independent raters. 64.9% improved (goal achieved 54.4%; part goal 10.5%) avg 5.5 sess. (Report soon on sft in depression using standard outcome measures) (lee.355@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu)

Lee MY, Greene GJ, Uken A, Sebold J, Rheinsheld J (1997) Solution-focused brief group treatment: a viable modality for domestic violence offenders? Journal of Collaborative Therapies, IV, 10-17. Sciotto study: 117 clients, 1993-1997; standard 6 sess completed by 88. 7% (6) reoffend. Plumas study: 1994-1996: 34 clients completed 7 of 8 standard sess. 3% (1) reoffend. (Not yet published: 17% reoffend at 6 yr followup) (pcmhs@psln.com

Lindforss L, Magnusson D (1997) Solution-focused therapy in prison. Contemporary Family Therapy, 19, 89-104. Randomised: 30 experimental and 29 controls; 16 mon follow-up. 18 (60%) reoffend in exp., 25 (86%) in control; more drug offences and more total offences in controls. Pilot study 14/21 (66%) exp. and 10/12 (90%) controls reoffended at 20 mon. Avg 5 sess; 2.7 million Swedish crowns saved by reduced reoffending. (lotta.lindforss@mbox200.se; dan.magnusson@brottsforebygganderadet.se)

Littrell JM, Malia JA, Vanderwood M (1995) Single-session brief counseling in a high school. Journal of Counseling and Development, 73, 451-458. 61 students; 19 problem focus and task, 20 problem focus only, 22 solution focus and task. 69% better at 6 wk follow-up in all groups but shorter sessions in sft. (jlittrel@iastate.edu)

Macdonald AJ (1994) Brief therapy in adult psychiatry. Journal of Family Therapy, 16, 415-426. 41 cases; 1 yr follow-up. 29 (70%) improved - longstanding problems did less well. Equal outcome for all social classes; avg 3.71 sess.

Macdonald AJ (1997) Brief therapy in adult psychiatry: further outcomes. Journal of Family Therapy, 19, 213-222. 36 cases; 1 yr follow-up. 23 (64%) improved; other problems solved in 10 with good outcome and 2 in the other group. Longstanding problems did less well; equal outcome for all social classes; avg 3.35 sess.

Sundmann, P (1997) Solution-focused ideas in social work. Journal of Family Therapy, 19, 159-172. 9 social workers in the experimental group received basic training in solution-focused ideas while 9 controls worked as usual. Session tapes and questionnaires were analysed at 6-mon. More positive statements, more goal focus and more shared views were found in the experimental group. (peters@megabaud.fi)

Thompson R, Littrell JM (in press) Brief counseling for students with learning disabilities. The School Counselor. 12 students; 2 sess; follow-up 2 wk. 10 achieved 100% of goal.

Vaughn K, Young BC, Webster DC, Thomas MR A continuum-of-care model for inpatient psychiatric treatment. In: Miller SD, Hubble MA, Duncan BL (eds) (1996) Handbook of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco (p 99-127). 688 cases before sft model avg stay 20.2 days; 675 cases after avg stay 6.6 days.

Wheeler J (1995) Believing in miracles: the implications and possibilities of using solution-focused therapy in a child mental health setting. ACPP Reviews & Newsletter, 17,255-261. 3 mon follow-up of 34 (traced) sft referrals and 39 (traced) routine referrals: 23 (68%) vs 17 (44%) satisfied; other clinic resources used by 4 (12%) vs 12 (31%) . (113721.253@compuserve.com)

Zimmerman TS, Prest LA, Wetzel BE (1997) Solution-focused couples therapy groups: an empirical study. Journal of Family Therapy, 19, 125-144. Six weekly groups; 23 experimental and 13 controls; groups comparable on Marital Status Inventory. Experimental clients improved on Dyadic Adjustment Scale. (lindsay@picasso.colostate.edu)

Dr Mark Beyebach, Salamanca: solution-focused Master's in psychology available. Trainees currently researching sft process: miracle question and its effect on goal definition etc; similar projects on pre-session change, scaling and overall changes are being developed.

Dr Marie-Christine Cabie, Paris ("La Grange C.F.T.B": adeline@club-internet.fr) Recent book with Luc Isebaert: Pour une therapie breve: le libre choix du patient comme ethique en psychotherapie; Editions Medecine & Hygiene, Geneve 1997.

Melissa Darmody, Dublin (darmody@tinet.ie): project in progress with several experienced teams: goals and Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) at start; session comments and CRI at session 4 or last; CRI at 3/12 later.

Wolfgang Eberling, Manfred Vogt-Hillman, Bremen (NIK-Bremen@t-online.de): Editors of recent book: Kurzgefasst: Zum Stand der losungorientierten Praxis von Europa; borgmann publishing, Dortmund 1998.

Dr George S Greenberg, New Orleans (btcftinola@webtv.net): group work in various settings using sft. Many publications.

Cynthia Osborn, Ohio (osborn@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu): looking at attitudes of alcohol counsellors to sft concepts.

Eero Riikonen, Helsinki (eeror@stakes.fi): Doctoral dissertation comparing sft interviewing with psychiatric (problem-focused) interviewing. Problem models and interviewing practices in professional helping: From problem language to competence language. In: Research Reports 32/1992, Rehabilitation Foundation, Helsinki.

Heike Schlemmel, Bamberg (heike.schlemmel@ppp.uni-bamberg.de): study based on review session with clients after 6 mon. Also using sft questions in study of qualitative changes in gender and self-perception in relation to disability.

Ronald Warner, Toronto (rwarner@acs.ryerson.ca): evaluation of sft teaching and workshops.

Alasdair Macdonald (ajmacdonald@compuserve.com)

Ytterligare länkar:

www.ebta.nu/research.html

www.gingerich.net