The current study represented a replication of previous research, addressing measures of interpersonal relatedness as predictors of outcome for dynamically oriented, short‐term group (STG) psychotherapy for patients presenting with complicated grief. In an analysis of data from a comparative trial of two forms (interpretive, supportive) of STG therapy (n = 107), Ogrodniczuk, Piper, McCallum, Joyce and Rosie reported that three distinct indices of interpersonal relatedness—quality of object relations, current social functioning and attachment insecurity—each had significant relationships with measures of treatment outcome, with attachment insecurity emerging as the strongest predictor. The current study (n = 110) was based on data from a subsequent trial of the two therapy approaches that examined the effect of group composition on outcome, by Piper, Ogrodniczuk, Joyce, Weideman and Rosie. Predictor variables and outcome factors involved in the current analyses were similar or identical to those employed by Ogrodniczuk et al., and an identical analytic strategy was followed. Only the patient's attachment insecurity emerged as a strong predictor of psychotherapy outcome, providing a replication of the key finding from the previous study. The clinical implications and limitations of the results are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Key Practitioner Message:
• Complicated grief (CG) is a distinct syndrome that is associated with definite distress and problems in functioning; there are empirically supported treatments available for CG.
• Characteristics of the patient can influence the success of these treatments.
• In particular, the patient's capacity for interpersonal relatedness will help determine the quality of engagement in the therapy process and treatment outcome.
• Attachment insecurity is an important aspect of interpersonal relatedness and, based on replicated findings reported here, has a clear relationship with benefit from short‐term group therapy for CG.