Pre-treatment CBT-mindedness predicts CBT outcome

While CBT is considered efficacious for a range of mental health conditions, identifying pre-treatment predictors of differential response to CBT is an important direction for research. This study investigated whether pre-treatment attitudes aligned with cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) (termed CBT-mindedness) predicts CBT outcome within a clinical sample of adults diagnosed with social phobia (N = 50). Pre-treatment CBT-mindedness, measured by the CBT Suitability Scale, was found to predict treatment outcome immediately and 3 months following treatment. Higher CBT-mindedness was associated with lower clinician-rated diagnostic severity and client self-reported social anxiety symptoms following CBT. CBT-mindedness predicted self-reported, but not clinician-reported severity, even when controlling for existing client-factors that predict outcome (expectancy for symptom change and treatment credibility). However, CBT-mindedness was not associated with therapy session attendance. Results suggest that pre-treatment CBT-mindedness is a promising predictor of CBT outcome. Clinical implications for this predictor of CBT response are discussed.