Patient characteristics associated with retrospectively self-reported treatment outcomes following psychological therapy for anxiety or depressive disorders-a cohort of GLAD study participants

Background Progress towards stratified care for anxiety and depression will require the identification of new predictors. We collected data on retrospectively self-reported therapeutic outcomes in adults who received psychological therapy in the UK in the past ten years. We aimed to replicate factors associated with traditional treatment outcome measures from the literature. Methods Participants were from the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) Study, a UK-based volunteer cohort study. We investigated associations between retrospectively self-reported outcomes following therapy, on a five-point scale (global rating of change; GRC) and a range of sociodemographic, clinical and therapy-related factors, using ordinal logistic regression models (n = 2890). Results Four factors were associated with therapy outcomes (adjusted odds ratios, OR). One sociodemographic factor, having university-level education, was associated with favourable outcomes (OR = 1.37, 95%CI: 1.18, 1.59). Two clinical factors, greater number of reported episodes of illness (OR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.92, 0.97) and higher levels of personality disorder symptoms (OR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.87, 0.91), were associated with less favourable outcomes. Finally, reported regular use of additional therapeutic activities was associated with favourable outcomes (OR = 1.39, 95%CI: 1.19, 1.63). There were no statistically significant differences between fully adjusted multivariable and unadjusted univariable odds ratios. Conclusion Therapy outcome data can be collected quickly and inexpensively using retrospectively self-reported measures in large observational cohorts. Retrospectively self-reported therapy outcomes were associated with four factors previously reported in the literature. Similar data collected in larger observational cohorts may enable detection of novel associations with therapy outcomes, to generate new hypotheses, which can be followed up in prospective studies.

Automated summary

Background: To achieve stratified care for anxiety and depression, new predictors need to be identified. This study collected retrospectively self-reported therapeutic outcome data in adults who received psychological therapy in the UK over the past ten years. The aim was to replicate factors associated with traditional treatment outcome measures reported in the literature. Methods: Participants were from the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) Study, a UK-based volunteer cohort study. Associations between retrospectively self-reported therapy outcomes and sociodemographic, clinical, and therapy-related factors were investigated using ordinal logistic regression models (n = 2890). Results: Four factors were associated with therapy outcomes. Having a university-level education was associated with favorable outcomes. Greater number of reported illness episodes and higher levels of personality disorder symptoms were associated with less favorable outcomes. Regular use of additional therapeutic activities was associated with favorable outcomes. Conclusion: Retrospectively self-reported therapy outcomes can be collected quickly and inexpensively in large observational cohorts. These outcomes were associated with four factors previously reported in the literature. Collecting similar data in larger observational cohorts may lead to the discovery of novel associations with therapy outcomes and generate new hypotheses for prospective studies.