The Common Factors Model

of Psychotherapy Outcomes

Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW

Professor
School of Social Work,
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
jgilgun@umn.edu
September 2010
The Common Factors Model

 Extratherapeutic Factors (40%)

 Relationships (30%)

 Optimism, Motivation, Capacities (15%)

 Skills, techniques (15%)

Principles of the Model

 Clients’ situations change for the better/worse

depending upon external influences
 Relationships to case managers are complex,
but the more trust and problem-solving in
relationships, the better the outcomes
 Client and case managers beliefs essential
 Case manager skill important
 Intrinsic links among all four
Description of a Relationship Going
Well
 Notice the connections among the factors
Connections Between the Factors

 Model is unclear about how interconnected

the four factors are
Relationships

 Model does not state that access to clients

can be an issue
Client Motivation: An Example

 Model predicts client motivation a key factor

in good outcomes
External Influences

 Not anticipated by the model

 Medications

 Inability of case manager to influence

administration of medication
External Influences

 Schools
 Abetted by relationships
Selected References On Grounded Theory,
Analytic Induction, & Deductive Qualitative
Analysis
Gilgun, Jane F. (2005). Qualitative research and family psychology.
Journal of FamilyPsychology,19(1), 40-50.
Gilgun, Jane F. (2008). On being a sh*t: Unkind deeds and cover-
ups in everyday life. Morrissville, NC: Lulu.
Glaser, Barney & Anselm Strauss (1967). The discovery of
grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine.
Strauss, Anselm, & Juliet Corbin (Eds). (1997). Grounded theory in
practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Znaniecki, F. (1934). The method of sociology. New York: Farrar
& Rinehart.
References for Common Factors Model

Cameron, Mark, & Elizabeth King Keenan (2010). The common factors
model: Implications for transtheoretical clinical social work practice.
Social Work, 55(1), 63-73.
Drisko, James W. (2004). Common factors in psychotherapy outcome.
Families in Society, 85 (1), 81-90.
Frank, J. D., & Frank, J. B. (1991). Persuasion and healing: A
comparative study of psychotherapy (3 rd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Johns
Hopkins University Press.
Lambert, M. (1992). Implications of outcome research for psychotherapy
integration. In J. Norcross & J. Goldfried (Eds.), Handbook of
psychotherapy integration (pp. 94-129) NY: Basic.
Lambert, M. J., & Ogles, B. M. (2004). The efficacy and effectiveness of
psychotherapy. In S. L. Garfield & A. E. Bergen (Eds.), Handbook of
psychotherapy and behavior change (3 rd ed.). New York, NY: Wiley.
Maiter, Sarah, Sally Palmer, & Shehenaz Manji (2006).
Strengthening social worker-client relationships in child
protective services: Addressing power relationships and
“ruptured” relationships. Qualitative Social Work, 5(2),
167-186.
Miller, Scott D., Barry L. Duncan, and Mark A. Hubble
(2007). Outcome-informed clinical work. In John C.
Norcross & Marvin R. Goldfried (Eds.), Handbook of
psychotherapy integration (2nd ed.) (pp. 84-102). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Miller, Scott D., Barry L. Duncan, and Mark A. Hubble
(2007). Escape from Babel: Toward a unifying language
for psychotherapy research. New York: Norton
Perlman, Helen Harris (1957). Social casework: A problem-solving
process. Chicago: University of Chicago.
Rogers, Carl. (1961). On becoming a person. New York: Houghton
Mifflin.
Saggese, Michael L. (2005). Maximizing treatment effectiveness in
clinical practice: An outcome-informed, collaborative approach.
Families in Society, 86(4), 558-564.
Sprenkle, D. H., & Blow, A. J. (2004). Common factors and our sacred
models. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30(2), 113-129.
Sprenkle, D. H., & Blow, A. J. (2004). Common factors are not
islands–-they work through models. Journal of Marital and Family
Therapy, 30(2), 113-129.
Saggese, M. L. (2005). Maximizing treatment effectiveness in clinical
practice: An outcome-informed, collaborative approach. Families in
Society, 86(4), 558-564.