--- title: "PPRNet Clinical summary: Are Therapists More Effective When Delivering One Type of Therapy vs Another?" description: The director of the Psychotherapy Practice Research Network (PPRNet) is Dr. Giorgio Tasca. Dr. Tasca is an Associate Professor with the School of Psychology, in the Faculty of Social, University of Ottawa. His research focus is on psychotherapy process, mechanisms of change, and outcomes, as well as eating disorders. image: https://collabzium.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/two%20coloured%20books.png --- [![FAC_SOCIAL_SCIENCE_HEADER_BAR](https://collabzium.com/hubfs/FAC_SOCIAL_SCIENCE_HEADER_BAR.svg "FAC_SOCIAL_SCIENCE_HEADER_BAR")](https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-social-sciences/) [![Collabzium](https://collabzium.com/hubfs/CollabziumLogoEnglish(Name)-COLOUR.svg "Collabzium")](https://collabzium.com/) - Articles - [Collabzium Guide](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/collabzium-guide) - [All articles](https://collabzium.com/en/articles) - Research - [Chairs and Labs](https://collabzium.com/en/chair-and-labs) - [About](https://collabzium.com/collabcrew) [Subscribe](https://20500402.hubspotpagebuilder.com/subscribe-now) [Subscribe](https://20500402.hubspotpagebuilder.com/subscribe-now) [PPRNET](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/pprnet) # PPRNet Clinical summary: Are Therapists More Effective When Delivering One Type of Therapy vs Another? [Dr. Giorgio Tasca](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/dr-giorgio-tasca) calendar icon Mar 31, 2026 · Reading time 2 min read [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) When we think about personalizing therapy, we often consider what type of psychotherapy would be best for which patient. Few studies have yielded practically useful findings. Nevertheless, there is some evidence, for example, that matching patients to therapists on [race](https://trk.cp20.com/click/gs5t-30mu8e-7yhyq5-l89bayk4/) or ethnicity or [sexual orientation](https://trk.cp20.com/click/gs5t-30mu8e-7yhyq6-l89bayk5/) improves patient outcomes. Another approach to this might be to examine whether a given therapist is more effective depending on *how* they treat their patients – that is, whether they deliver one type of therapy versus another. This would represent personalizing treatment for the therapist, so they could choose the therapy most likely to lead to the best outcome for their patients. Therapists might choose to specialize in their treatment strengths or obtain further training in treatments they use less effectively, potentially allowing them to treat a wider range of patients. One way to research this is to have the same therapist provide two different therapies and see whether patients’ outcomes differ depending on the type of treatment delivered. In this individual participant-level data meta-analysis, Coyne and colleagues did just that. They were able to aggregate patient-level data from five independent trials that compared cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy (PDT) for depression delivered by the same therapist. The studies included in Coyne and colleagues’ meta-analysis extensively trained and supervised therapists to deliver both CBT and PDT. Their meta-analysis included 30 experienced therapists treating 492 patients with depression. The results indicated that 4.8% of the variance in patient outcomes was attributable to differences between therapists (p < .001), indicating that some therapists were more effective than others. Unsurprisingly, there was no significant difference between CBT and PDT on patient outcomes (p = .622). But the association between treatment type and outcome varied significantly among therapists (p < .001), indicating that some therapists were more effective depending on what type of therapy they provided. 47% of therapists’ patients had a small to moderate difference in their outcomes depending on whether the same therapist provided CBT or PDT.   Practice Implications  This study demonstrated that slightly more than half of therapists (53%) could flexibly switch between CBT and PDT without compromising their effectiveness. Nevertheless, a sizeable proportion of therapists (47%) can be significantly more effective when using CBT or PDT than when using the other, despite similar training in both. That is, a meaningful number of therapists had a treatment-specific effectiveness edge. For some therapists, understanding their potential strengths and weaknesses when using distinct therapies may be important for providing the best treatment for their patients. Therapists who are versatile in multiple treatments may be able to deliver effective therapy based on [patients’ preferences](https://trk.cp20.com/click/gs5t-30mu8e-7yhyq7-l89bayk6/). The study also suggests that therapists should measure[their patients’ outcomes](https://trk.cp20.com/click/gs5t-30mu8e-7yhyq8-l89bayk7/) to identify their personal strengths and weaknesses within their own caseload. > Coyne, A. E., Constantino, M. J., Gaines, A. N., Wienicke, F. J., Mehta, A. H. P., Barkham, M., …, Cohen, Z. D., & Driessen, E. (2026). Are some therapists more effective when they deliver one type of therapy versus another? *Psychotherapy, 63*(1), 70–78. [https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000614](https://trk.cp20.com/click/gs5t-30mu8e-7yhyq9-l89bayk8/)  calendar icon Mar 31, 2026 · Reading time 2 min read [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-are-therapists-more-effective-when-delivering-one-type-of-therapy-vs-another&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) --- ### [By Dr. Giorgio Tasca](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/author/dr-giorgio-tasca) The director of the Psychotherapy Practice Research Network (PPRNet) is Dr. Giorgio Tasca. Dr. Tasca is an Associate Professor with the School of Psychology, in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottawa. His research is centered around psychotherapy process, mechanisms of change, and outcomes, as well as eating disorders. ## Also Read - [PPRNet Clinical summary: Long-Term Effects of Psychotherapies for Depression](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-long-term-effects-of-psychotherapies-for-depression) - [PPRNet Clinical summary: Self-Compassion as a Protective Factor Against Burnout in Psychologists](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-self-compassion-as-a-protective-factor-against-burnout-in-psychologists) - [PPRNet Clinical summary: The Therapeutic Alliance in Internet-Based Interventions](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-1.-the-therapeutic-alliance-in-internet-based-interventions) - [PPRNet Clinical summary: What Do Individuals With Borderline Personalities Want From Treatment?](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-what-do-individuals-with-borderline-personalities-want-from-treatment) #### RELATED NEWS ![Clinical summary: Therapists and Patients Who Agree on Their Experience of the Therapeutic Alliance](https://collabzium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/George%20Tasca-2.jpg?width=600&name=George%20Tasca-2.jpg) [PPRNET](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/pprnet) ## [Clinical summary: Therapists and Patients Who Agree on Their Experience of the Therapeutic Alliance](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/clinical-summary-which-patients-benefit-most-from-being-matched-to-a-therapist-0-3-1) The therapeutic alliance is the agreement between the psychotherapist and the patient on the tasks... Aug 07, 2024Reading time 2 min read ![PPRNet Clinical summary: Do Therapists Become More Culturally Humble with Experience?](https://collabzium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/therapy-1.png?width=600&name=therapy-1.png) [PPRNET](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/pprnet) ## [PPRNet Clinical summary: Do Therapists Become More Culturally Humble with Experience?](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-do-therapists-become-more-culturally-humble-with-experience) | [Cultural humility](https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftrk.cp20.com%2Fclick%2Fgs5t-2z13xb-ybu7xo-ld90o247%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstephanie.baker%40uottawa.ca%7Ceec75f305a814f96e2d208ddeae5cc18%7Cd41fdab17e154cfdb5fa7200e54deb6b%7C1%7C0%7C638924994885785063%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wSCtDNSkzqpbGd5pDkllmq89UjJNQq9panLVhS2tti0%3D&reserved=0) refers to the ability to be other-oriented, curious, and open-minded about... | | --- | Sep 05, 2025Reading time 2 min read ![PPRNet Clinical summary: When and for Whom is the Therapeutic Alliance Therapeutic?](https://collabzium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/George%20Tasca-2.jpg?width=600&name=George%20Tasca-2.jpg) [PPRNET](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/pprnet) ## [PPRNet Clinical summary: When and for Whom is the Therapeutic Alliance Therapeutic?](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/clinical-summary-which-patients-benefit-most-from-being-matched-to-a-therapist-0-3-1-0-1-2-0-0-0-0-0) The therapeutic alliance represents the collaborative agreement between therapist and patient on... Nov 04, 2024Reading time 2 min read ![PPRNet Clinical summary: Therapists' Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Affect Treatment Outcomes](https://collabzium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/chub_backup/therapy-2.png?width=600&name=therapy-2.png) [PPRNET](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/tag/pprnet) ## [PPRNet Clinical summary: Therapists' Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Affect Treatment Outcomes](https://collabzium.com/en/articles/pprnet-clinical-summary-therapists-difficulties-with-emotion-regulation-affect-treatment-outcomes) There is significant [variability](https://trk.cp20.com/click/gs5t-300wo2-16w957-l89bayk9/) in therapists' effectiveness – some therapists are more effective... Jan 07, 2026Reading time 2 min read ![Collabzium Logo in White](https://collabzium.com/hubfs/Brand%20Images/Brand%20-%20Faculty%20of%20Social%20Sciences/CollabziumLogoEnglish(Icon)-WHITE.svg)   ##### CONTACT 120 University Ottawa ON K1N 6N5, Canada [Contact Us](mailto:collabz@uottawa.ca) ##### [AI CONTENT CREATION POLICY](https://collabzium.com/ai-artificial-intelligence-content-creation-policy-for-collabzium) ##### ##### SUBSCRIBE TO COLLABZIUM Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to the Collabzium email list for updates, news, and more! [SUBSCRIBE](https://20500402.hubspotpagebuilder.com/subscribe-now) --- © 2026 COLLABZIUM [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/collabzium/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://youtube.com/@Collabzium) ↑