Effect of patient-therapist gender match on psychotherapy retention among United States veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder
Open accessAbstract
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.
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Some studies have found no relationship between patient-therapist gender match and psychotherapy retention or outcome.
“Although some studies have found no relationship between patient-therapist gender match and psychotherapy retention or outcome (Shiner et al., 2017; Sterling et al., 1998)”
From Augmenting Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD with intranasal oxytocin: a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial (2018) · cites this paper as Shiner et al., 2017
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“…including therapist theoretical orientation (Anderson et al., 2009; Bergler et al., 2016; Okiishi et al., 2006), age (Anderson et al., 2009; Shauenburg et al., 2005), and gender (Shiner et al., 2017; Zorzella et al., 2015), but results from these studies have frequently contradicted one another.”
Result
- Authors
- Shiner, B., Leonard Westgate, C., Harik, J. M., Watts, B. V., & Schnurr, P. P.
- Affiliations
- Dartmouth College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Shiner, Brian
- Venue
- Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
- Published
- 2016-08-16
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 642-650
- ISSN
- 0894-587X (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3289
- PMC
- PMC6149526
- OpenAlex
- W2515424873
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 3.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (HSR&D CDA11-263)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans, gender differences, female patients, male patients, therapist gender, clinical practice patterns
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Dropouts, Professional-Patient Relations, Psychotherapy, Sex Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, United States, Veterans, Logistic Models
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