The "Treatment Integrity and Mechanisms of Action" project is a component of a multicenter study on therapy effectiveness called ENHANCE. This study involves comparing cognitive-behavioral therapy (STAIR-Exposure), trauma-focused psychodynamic therapy (TF-PDT), and a "minimal attention" condition. The overarching goal of ENHANCE is to advance the development of more effective therapies for affected individuals.
The subproject has multiple objectives:
1. To systematically document the treatment integrity of the two active therapy conditions. Treatment integrity encompasses the degree to which the psychotherapists involved adhered to and competently implemented the treatment manuals. Maintaining high treatment integrity is crucial for attributing observed differences between therapy conditions to the therapeutic interventions (ensuring internal validity).
2. Identifying the mechanisms of action in both therapies involves systematically connecting key treatment elements to therapy outcomes. This process aims to determine the effectiveness and extent of each intervention used. A more detailed understanding of these factors will contribute to ongoing improvements in future therapies.
3. Investigating moderators (e.g., type of trauma) and mediators (e.g., mentalization) is crucial for enhancing effectiveness and refining differential therapy indications.
Original language: German