Abstract
Objective:
This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy Scale for Emotion-Focused Therapy: Adherence and Competence Observer Rating (PCEPS-EFT-9). It includes its reliability, discriminant validity between emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and person-centered therapy (PCT), and its predictive validity for therapeutic outcomes.
Method:
Data were drawn from a pilot study comparing EFT and PCT in treating social anxiety. Recordings of 22 EFT and 14 PCT sessions from early and mid-therapy phases were coded using the PCEPS-EFT-9. Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing scores between therapies and predictive validity through correlations with residual symptom changes.
Results:
The PCEPS-EFT-9 showed strong inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients = .90–.93). Internal consistency was high for EFT (Cronbach’s alpha > .97) and moderate for PCT (Cronbach’s alpha = .65). EFT therapists scored significantly higher than PCT therapists (p < .001), supporting discriminant validity.
Conclusion:
The PCEPS-EFT-9 demonstrated robust reliability and validity, supporting its use in evaluating therapist adherence and competence in EFT. Higher adherence and competence were linked to improved outcomes, highlighting the importance of monitoring treatment fidelity in psychotherapy research.
This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy Scale for Emotion-Focused Therapy: Adherence and Competence Observer Rating (PCEPS-EFT-9). It includes its reliability, discriminant validity between emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and person-centered therapy (PCT), and its predictive validity for therapeutic outcomes.
Method:
Data were drawn from a pilot study comparing EFT and PCT in treating social anxiety. Recordings of 22 EFT and 14 PCT sessions from early and mid-therapy phases were coded using the PCEPS-EFT-9. Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing scores between therapies and predictive validity through correlations with residual symptom changes.
Results:
The PCEPS-EFT-9 showed strong inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients = .90–.93). Internal consistency was high for EFT (Cronbach’s alpha > .97) and moderate for PCT (Cronbach’s alpha = .65). EFT therapists scored significantly higher than PCT therapists (p < .001), supporting discriminant validity.
Conclusion:
The PCEPS-EFT-9 demonstrated robust reliability and validity, supporting its use in evaluating therapist adherence and competence in EFT. Higher adherence and competence were linked to improved outcomes, highlighting the importance of monitoring treatment fidelity in psychotherapy research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-15 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Psychotherapy Research |
| Early online date | 15 Jul 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 15 Jul 2025 |
Keywords
- psychometric validation
- treatment integrity
- therapist competence
- emotion-focused therapy
- adherence measure
- person-centered therapy