Assessment of Suitability for Psychotherapy: II. Assessment Based on Basic Process Goals

Part II of this paper presents an outline for the assessment of suitability for psychotherapy based on the patient’s ability to participate in the basic tasks of the therapeutic process and provides a coherent approach to this complex and difficult task. Several factors, such as therapeutic interaction and relational history, influencing the patient’s ability to form a productive working relationship can be assessed clinically and are w ell supported by research. Others, such as motivation and supportive life circumstances, although less supported by research, still appear to be clinically important. Influences on the ability to create a model of the patient’s psychopathology, such as introspection, circumscribed focus, and some aspects of the model itself, are supported by limited research but important for some therapies. There is little research on trial interventions, though these remain a crucial assessment dimension for short-term therapies, particularly. Countertransference, although traditionally not viewed as part of assessment, is actually an important tool that has been validated by research.