Ego Impairment Index (EII‐2) as a predictor of outcome in short‐ and long‐term psychotherapy during a 5‐year follow‐up

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the predictive ability of the Rorschach‐based Ego Impairment Index (EII‐2) on outcome of psychotherapy in different types and durations of therapy. METHOD: A total of 326 outpatients suffering from depressive or anxiety disorders were randomized into receiving solution‐focused (n = 97), short‐term psychodynamic (n = 101), or long‐term psychodynamic psychotherapy (n = 128). Psychotherapy outcome assessments during the 5‐year follow‐up period covered psychiatric symptoms, social functioning, and work ability. RESULTS: Lower EII‐2 values, which indicate less problematic ego functioning, were found to predict faster improvement in both short‐term therapies as compared to long‐term psychotherapy. CONCLUSION: The results provide preliminary support for the utility of EII‐2 as a complementary measure to interview‐based methods for selecting between short‐ and long‐term therapies.