Rorschach and MMPI-2 Indices of Early Psychotherapy Termination

This study was an investigation of the differences between 97 patients who had prematurely terminated psychotherapy ( M = 1 session) and 81 who had participated in individual psychotherapy for at least 6 months and 24 sessions ( M = 18 months/72 sessions) on selected Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and Rorschach variables. None of the between-group comparisons using the MMPI-2 proved to be significant. However, a multivariate analysis of variance of 9 Rorschach variables in 3 conceptual categories-(a) interpersonal relatedness, (b) psychological resources versus resource demand, and (c) level of psychopathology-proved to be significant at p = .008. The Rorschach scores from the interpersonal-relational category proved to be the most robust in differentiating the 2 groups. The theoretical implications of interpersonal variables are discussed in relation to the termination and continuation of patients in psychotherapy.