On the way to professional psychotherapy: Quality and quality-assurance for psychotherapy

Abstract

Introducing into the special issue on quality assurance of psychotherapy the present paper is divided into three parts. In the first one the main reasons for the necessity to integrate quality assurance into psychotherapy in Austria are discussed (professional standards of psychotherapy, consumer rights, the assurance of education and training in psychotherapy and the necessity to continually improve efficacy and practice in psychotherapy). The second part is dealing with quality assurance of education and training in psychotherapy. It is proposed that introducing conceptions of quality assurance would change psychotherapy-training very much. It should become more goal-oriented, more effective and more controlled. Additionally, it would be necessary to evaluate the courses and trainings continuously and to establish quality circles for the teaching staff to improve their quality.

The main focus of part three is on structure-, process-and outcome-quality of ambulatory and outpatient-psychotherapy. The most important components of each of the three quality-conceptions are discussed (e.g. the necessity to continuosly evaluate the outcome of psychotherapy, and to rationally control the psychotherapeutic process and the application o/ psychotherapeutic strategies and methods). At the end of the paper it is concluded that away from now much work and many different steps are necessary to integrate quality assurance into psychotherapy in our country (establishing organizational structures, developing programs and methods, and conducting pilot projects). The psychotherapists by themselves however need not wait for such a long time; they actually should join to quality circles and so should try to improve the quality of their work. Empirical research will be a necessary and integrative component of all quality assurance-projects.

Keywords
Quality, quality assurance, quality management, psychotherapy, health care.