Effect of Patient-Therapist Gender Match on Psychotherapy Retention Among United States Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Brian Shiner; Christine Leonard Westgate; Juliette M Harik; Bradley V Watts; Paula P Schnurr

doi:10.1007/s10488-016-0761-2

Effect of Patient-Therapist Gender Match on Psychotherapy Retention Among United States Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Adm Policy Ment Health. 2017 Sep;44(5):642-650. doi: 10.1007/s10488-016-0761-2.

Authors

Brian Shiner^{1

2

3

4

5}, Christine Leonard Westgate⁶, Juliette M Harik^{6

7}, Bradley V Watts^{8

7

9}, Paula P Schnurr^{10

7}

Affiliations

¹ White River Junction VA Medical Center, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA. [email protected].
² VA National Center for PTSD, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA. [email protected].
³ VA National Center for Patient Safety, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. [email protected].
⁴ Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA. [email protected].
⁵ VA National Center for Patient Safety, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA. [email protected].
⁶ White River Junction VA Medical Center, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA.
⁷ Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA.
⁸ VA National Center for Patient Safety, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁹ VA National Center for Patient Safety, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA.
¹⁰ VA National Center for PTSD, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA.

Abstract

Extant literature suggests that patient-therapist gender matching may be associated with psychotherapy retention. We examined this relationship in a national cohort of Veterans (n = 506,471) initiating psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using multivariate logistic regression models. Overall, women were retained in psychotherapy at higher rates than men. When patient and therapist factors as well as practice patterns are considered, gender match between female patients with PTSD and female therapists was not a positive predictor of psychotherapy retention. Contrary to our expectations, gender match between male patients with PTSD and male therapist was a negative predictor of psychotherapy retention.

Keywords: Gender; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychotherapy; Veterans.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Dropouts / statistics & numerical data*
Professional-Patient Relations*
Psychotherapy / methods*
Sex Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / therapy*
United States
Veterans*

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding