ABSTRACT
The present systematic case study examined the therapeutic process and results of a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) of a woman with compulsive buyer disorder. The treatment had a fixed duration of 12 sessions. All sessions were rated using the Psychotherapy Process Q-Set (PQS), an empirical method for evaluating the therapeutic process. Outcome measures included assessment of symptoms of depression, anxiety and compulsive buying, and social adjustment. After therapy, there were clinically significant and reliable change in symptoms and social adjustment. The process analysis indicated that therapist's factors (empathy and responsiveness), patient's factors (collaboration), relationship factors (therapeutic alliance) and technical factors (support and homework) contributed to the observed changes.
Keywords:
compulsive shopping; impulse control disorders; cognitive-behavioral therapy; psychotherapeutic processes; psychotherapy