Review of Task Analysis Research of Significant Events in Psychotherapy

Abstract

Task analysis is a process and results research method in psychotherapy proposed by Greenberg (1975). This method is intended to a) check a specific technique effectiveness as applied to a specific intra-session event; b) clarifying the elements and the process by means of such an intervention is effective; c) assess how much the solution of that event contributes to the full treatment success. The task-analised interventions are described at a micro-process level, which facilitates reliable training and practice of effective techniques applied to a wide range of key events of the psychotherapeutic process. GOAL: To compile and organize the tasks analyzed until today in order to facilitate access to this training and practice resource. METHOD: Literature review of task analysis research programs developed until now. RESULTS: Thirty seven task analysis research programs have been developed to analyze significant events from several psychotherapy models and settings. Only five out of these thirty seven task analysis have been completed. Nevertheless, as much as twenty six of them have produced effective intervention models. CONCLUSIONS: Task analysis is a very expensive psychotherapy research method. Even so it generates very valuable resources in order to improve psychotherapy practice and training. Every task analysis which have fulfilled the discovery phase produce a refined and empirically supported intervention model.