Table 4.

Specific Measurement of Common Factors

Common Factor	Assessment Instruments
	Helping Alliance Questionnaire-Patient (HAQ-P) (Luborsky, Barber, Siqueland, & Johnson, 1996). (Rated sessions 6, 12) This 19-item self-report questionnaire measures two main aspects of the therapeutic relationship-- the experience of being understood/receiving a helpful attitude and the experience of being involved in a collaborative effort with the therapist. These scales predict therapeutic outcome in focal psychotherapy (Luborsky & DeRubeis, 1984). Rated on a 6 point Likert scale, scores range from a low of 19 to a maximum of 112. Patients rate the two co-therapists as a unit.
Therapeutic Alliance	Helping Alliance Questionnaire-Group (HAQ-G) (Rated sessions 6, 12) The 19 items on the HAQ-P were modified to assess the relationship between the patient and his/her fellow group members along the same main aspects of the HAQ-P in terms of being understood and involved in collaborative effort with fellow group members. Rated on a 6 point Likert scale, scores range 19 to 112. In addition, to assess for group support as a possible mediator, patients rate a weekly question from 1–6 (“A good relationship has formed with my fellow-group members”).
	Therapist’s Alliance with the Patient: (Rated sessions 4, 12) Therapists answer the question: “How would you characterize your alliance with the patient?” as (1=“Very weak” to 5 = “Very strong”). Lead therapist ratings are used.
Rituals to be Observed	Diary Cards: Diary cards for both DBT and comparison therapy assess number of days patients filled them out (“once” to “daily”). Also tracked is not turning in a card at all.
Therapeutic rationale	Patient rating of suitability of treatment (pre-treatment, Week 1, Post-Treatment): Patients rate “How suitable do you think this treatment is for your problems?” using a 10 point visual analogue scale from “Not suitable” to “Extremely suitable.” Administered after pre-treatment orientation wherein rationales for both treatments are presented.
	Therapists’ view of assigned treatment’s suitability for patient (Week 4, 12) Therapists rate “Predict the likelihood that this patient will benefit from the particular treatment you are offering” from 1= “Not very likely” to 5=“Very likely”
Opportunity Express Emotions	The HAQ-P and HAQ-G capture differences between the two groups in terms of ability to express pertinent emotional material with therapists and fellow group members
Acquisition New behaviors	Diary Cards: Patients report the number of days they filled out their diary card each week
Positive expectations and hope for improvement/Therapeutic optimism	Patient expectancy of therapy (pre-treatment, Week 1, post-treatment): Patients rate: “How successful do you think your treatment here will be?” from 1 (“not at all successful”) to 10 (“extremely successful”)
	Therapists’ optimism about patients (Sessions 4, 12) “How much do you expect this patient to improve by the end of this 20 session treatment?” from 1 (“Not at all”) to 5 (“Very much’)