This collection of psychotherapy thesis topics is designed for MD Psychiatry and DNB Psychiatry candidates who want clinically relevant questions that can be completed within one thesis period using routine psychotherapy services, clinical records, patient-reported measures, therapist documentation and follow-up data already available in the treating centre. The topics cover psychotherapy utilisation and acceptability, therapeutic alliance, session attendance, cognitive behavioural and behavioural psychotherapy, supportive and family interventions, psychoeducation, treatment outcomes, dropout, satisfaction and training-service audits. Each topic can be developed into a focused psychotherapy research topic, a structured psychiatry protocol for psychotherapy or a submission-ready psychiatry synopsis for psychological treatment research.
Last reviewed and updated: September 2026 · 2026–27 admissions
Psychotherapy Utilisation, Acceptability and Pathways to Care
Association of prior awareness of psychotherapy with willingness to receive routinely offered psychotherapy among adults with major depressive disorder attending a government psychiatry outpatient department: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of educational attainment with acceptance of routinely recommended psychotherapy among adults meeting diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder at first psychiatric consultation: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of psychotherapy acceptance between adults with depressive disorders and adults with anxiety disorders when psychotherapy is routinely recommended during outpatient care: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of previous psychiatric treatment with willingness to attend psychotherapy among adults with generalised anxiety disorder receiving routine care in a teaching hospital: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of family support with acceptance of psychotherapy referral among adults with major depressive disorder attending psychiatry outpatient services: a caregiver-patient cross-sectional analytical study
Association of family belief that psychiatric treatment should involve medication alone with refusal of psychotherapy among adults with depressive or anxiety disorders: a caregiver-patient cross-sectional analytical study
Association of perceived stigma toward psychological treatment with psychotherapy non-initiation among adults for whom psychotherapy is routinely recommended: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of rural residence with delay between psychotherapy recommendation and first psychotherapy session among adults with depressive or anxiety disorders: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of travel distance to hospital with non-initiation of routinely recommended psychotherapy among adults with common mental disorders: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of out-of-pocket travel expenditure with psychotherapy attendance during the first twelve weeks among adults receiving routine outpatient psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of employment status with attendance at the first psychotherapy appointment among adults with major depressive disorder referred during routine psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of work-schedule inflexibility with missed psychotherapy appointments during twelve weeks among employed adults with depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of household caregiving responsibilities with psychotherapy non-attendance among women with depressive or anxiety disorders receiving routine outpatient treatment: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of psychotherapy uptake between men and women with major depressive disorder when psychological treatment is routinely recommended at first psychiatric consultation: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of age with psychotherapy acceptance among adults with anxiety disorders offered routine psychological treatment in a government teaching hospital: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of duration of untreated illness with willingness to engage in psychotherapy among adults presenting with major depressive disorder for first psychiatric treatment: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of predominant somatic presentation with lower psychotherapy acceptance among adults newly diagnosed with major depressive disorder after routine psychiatric assessment: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of initial consultation with a faith healer or traditional healer with psychotherapy acceptance among adults later diagnosed with depressive or anxiety disorders: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of family attribution of symptoms to supernatural causes with non-initiation of recommended psychotherapy among adults with common mental disorders: a caregiver-patient cross-sectional analytical study
Association of previous positive experience with counselling with psychotherapy attendance during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine treatment for depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of previous negative experience with psychological treatment with missed first psychotherapy appointment among adults receiving routine outpatient psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of treatment preference for medication alone with psychotherapy non-attendance during the first twelve weeks among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Comparison of psychotherapy uptake between patients directly attending psychiatry and patients referred from general medicine with depressive or anxiety disorders: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of physician recommendation for psychotherapy with acceptance of psychiatric psychotherapy referral among adults with medically unexplained physical symptoms: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of caregiver accompaniment at first psychiatric consultation with psychotherapy initiation within four weeks among adults with severe depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline perceived need for psychological treatment with completion of at least four routine psychotherapy sessions during twelve weeks among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline expectations of rapid symptom improvement with early psychotherapy discontinuation during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of financial strain with psychotherapy session non-attendance during the first twelve weeks among adults with depressive and anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of childcare responsibilities with psychotherapy attendance during twelve weeks among postpartum women receiving routine treatment for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of examination schedules with missed psychotherapy appointments during twelve weeks among college students receiving routine treatment for anxiety or depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of school timing with psychotherapy attendance among adolescents receiving routine psychological treatment for anxiety or depressive disorders during twelve weeks: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived confidentiality concerns with psychotherapy non-initiation among adolescents and young adults referred for routine psychological treatment: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of family preference for medication with psychotherapy uptake among adolescents with anxiety or depressive disorders receiving routine child psychiatry care: a parent-adolescent cross-sectional analytical study
Association of distance from child psychiatry services with completion of four psychotherapy sessions during twelve weeks among adolescents receiving routine psychological care: a prospective observational study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy referrals during the preceding year according to psychiatric diagnosis, age, sex, referral source and attendance at the first scheduled session: a record-based study
Retrospective comparison of psychotherapy referral rates for depressive, anxiety, obsessive compulsive and trauma-related disorders during the preceding twelve months: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of reasons documented for psychotherapy non-initiation during the preceding year according to travel, cost, patient preference and family constraints: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy attendance during the preceding year according to diagnosis, number of sessions scheduled and number of sessions completed: a record-based study
Retrospective comparison of psychotherapy non-attendance during monsoon and non-monsoon months among adults receiving routine psychiatric care over the preceding two years: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of documented psychotherapy recommendation, consent, treatment goals and follow-up planning among adults receiving psychiatric outpatient care during the preceding twelve months: a record-based study
Psychotherapy Process, Therapeutic Alliance and Session Attendance
Association of patient-rated therapeutic alliance after the second routine psychotherapy session with attendance at the fourth session among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of therapist-rated engagement after the second session with psychotherapy continuation through twelve weeks among adults with depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Comparison of early therapeutic alliance between adults receiving routine psychotherapy for major depressive disorder and adults receiving psychotherapy for generalised anxiety disorder: a comparative prospective observational study
Association of agreement on treatment goals after the first psychotherapy session with attendance at subsequent sessions during twelve weeks among adults with common mental disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived therapist empathy after the first routine psychotherapy session with treatment retention at eight weeks among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of patient comfort discussing personal problems during the first psychotherapy session with completion of four sessions among adults with anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline social anxiety severity with verbal participation during the first three routine psychotherapy sessions among adults with social anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline hopelessness with early psychotherapy disengagement during eight weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of missed psychotherapy homework completion with attendance at subsequent sessions during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline motivation for change with completion of assigned between-session activities during eight weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of patient understanding of the psychotherapy rationale after the first session with attendance through the fourth session among adults with anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived cultural relevance of psychotherapy examples with treatment retention at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological care for depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of preferred language matching between patient and therapist with therapeutic alliance after three sessions among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for common mental disorders: a prospective observational study
Comparison of therapeutic alliance between adults receiving psychotherapy in their preferred regional language and those receiving psychotherapy in another familiar language: a comparative prospective observational study
Association of family interruptions during telephonic follow-up or home practice with psychotherapy homework completion among adults receiving routine outpatient psychotherapy: a prospective observational study
Association of session timing outside working hours with psychotherapy attendance during twelve weeks among employed adults receiving routine psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of waiting time before psychotherapy sessions with satisfaction after the third session among adults receiving routine outpatient psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of frequent therapist changes with treatment discontinuation during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy in a teaching hospital: a prospective observational study
Comparison of session attendance between patients receiving psychotherapy from the same therapist throughout treatment and those experiencing a therapist change during routine care: a comparative prospective study
Association of trainee-therapist status disclosed during routine care with patient satisfaction after four psychotherapy sessions among adults with common mental disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline expectations about therapist advice-giving with satisfaction after four sessions among adults receiving routinely provided psychotherapy for depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of mismatch between patient expectations and therapist treatment approach with psychotherapy discontinuation before the fourth session among adults with anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived family support for therapy homework with completion of between-session tasks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for obsessive compulsive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver criticism regarding psychotherapy with missed sessions during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment for depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of early symptom improvement by the fourth psychotherapy session with treatment continuation through twelve weeks among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of absence of perceived improvement by the third session with psychotherapy discontinuation among adults receiving routine treatment for generalised anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of session attendance regularity with functional improvement at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of number of completed psychotherapy sessions with return to work or household responsibilities at twelve weeks among adults with depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of psychotherapy homework adherence with reduction in avoidance behaviour at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of therapeutic alliance after three sessions with reduction in panic-related avoidance at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for panic disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of therapeutic alliance after three sessions with reduction in compulsive behaviour at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for obsessive compulsive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived therapist non-judgmental attitude with disclosure of substance use during psychotherapy among adults with depressive disorders and concurrent alcohol use: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived stigma discussing sexual or marital concerns with incomplete disclosure during routine psychotherapy among adults with depressive or anxiety disorders: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of baseline personality disorder comorbidity with psychotherapy session attendance during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine treatment for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of comorbid substance use disorder with psychotherapy retention during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment for mood or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy session completion during the preceding year according to diagnosis, therapist continuity and number of appointments scheduled: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of documented psychotherapy homework among adults receiving cognitive behavioural psychotherapy during the preceding year according to diagnosis and treatment completion: a record-based study
Retrospective comparison of psychotherapy discontinuation before and after the fourth session among adults with depressive and anxiety disorders during the preceding year: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of documented treatment goals and session summaries among adults receiving routine psychotherapy during the preceding twelve months: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of reasons for psychotherapy dropout documented during the preceding year according to perceived improvement, adverse experiences, travel and scheduling difficulties: a record-based study
Cognitive Behavioural and Behavioural Psychotherapy in Routine Clinical Care
Association of attendance at routinely provided cognitive behavioural psychotherapy with depressive symptom improvement at twelve weeks among adults with major depressive disorder receiving standard psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Comparison of twelve-week functional improvement between adults with major depressive disorder who attend at least four routinely recommended cognitive behavioural psychotherapy sessions and those attending fewer sessions: a prospective observational study
Association of behavioural activation homework completion with return to pleasurable activities at eight weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of activity scheduling adherence with occupational or household functioning at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline avoidance of daily activities with behavioural activation homework completion during eight weeks among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of thought-record completion with reduction in self-reported depressive thinking at eight weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline literacy level with completion of written cognitive behavioural psychotherapy homework among adults receiving routine treatment for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Comparison of homework completion between adults using written worksheets and adults using therapist-approved verbal or pictorial alternatives during routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy: a comparative observational study
Association of attendance at routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy with worry-related functional impairment at twelve weeks among adults with generalised anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of relaxation practice frequency with sleep-onset difficulty at eight weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for generalised anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of scheduled worry practice adherence with daytime worry interference at eight weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for generalised anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of cognitive restructuring homework completion with functional improvement at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for generalised anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of attendance at routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy with panic attack frequency at twelve weeks among adults with panic disorder receiving standard psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of interoceptive exposure homework completion with avoidance of bodily sensations at eight weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for panic disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of graded situational exposure completion with return to independent travel at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia: a prospective observational study
Comparison of twelve-week travel avoidance between adults completing at least four routine exposure-based psychotherapy sessions and those completing fewer sessions for panic disorder with agoraphobia: a prospective observational study
Association of exposure homework completion with social participation at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline fear of embarrassment with completion of behavioural experiments during routine psychotherapy among adults with social anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy attendance with classroom or workplace participation at twelve weeks among adolescents and young adults with social anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of exposure and response prevention session attendance with compulsive behaviour reduction at twelve weeks among adults with obsessive compulsive disorder receiving routine psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of family accommodation at baseline with completion of exposure and response prevention homework among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for obsessive compulsive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver support for exposure exercises with psychotherapy retention during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder: a caregiver-patient prospective observational study
Association of contamination-related symptom presentation with completion of routine exposure exercises during eight weeks among adults receiving psychotherapy for obsessive compulsive disorder: a prospective observational study
Comparison of psychotherapy attendance between adults with contamination-related and checking-related obsessive compulsive disorder receiving routine exposure and response prevention: a comparative prospective observational study
Association of routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy attendance with trauma-related avoidance at twelve weeks among adults with post-traumatic stress disorder receiving standard psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline trauma-related avoidance with completion of routine trauma-focused psychotherapy sessions during twelve weeks among adults with post-traumatic stress disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of family support with attendance at routine trauma-focused psychotherapy sessions among adults with post-traumatic stress disorder during twelve-week follow-up: a prospective observational study
Association of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy attendance with physical symptom-related healthcare visits at twelve weeks among adults with bodily distress disorder receiving routine psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of behavioural activation attendance with daytime activity levels at eight weeks among adults with bodily distress disorder and comorbid major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of sleep-hygiene and stimulus-control adherence with sleep-onset improvement at eight weeks among adults receiving routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy for insomnia disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline evening smartphone use with adherence to stimulus-control recommendations during eight weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for insomnia disorder: a prospective observational study
Comparison of eight-week sleep improvement between adults attending at least four routine cognitive behavioural psychotherapy sessions for insomnia disorder and those attending fewer sessions: a prospective observational study
Association of behavioural parent-training attendance with school behaviour at twelve weeks among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder receiving routine child psychiatry care: a prospective observational study
Association of parental homework completion with classroom behaviour improvement at twelve weeks among children receiving routine behavioural management for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver consistency in behavioural reinforcement with household functioning at twelve weeks among children receiving routine behavioural management for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a prospective observational study
Retrospective audit of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy use during the preceding year according to depressive, anxiety, obsessive compulsive, trauma-related and insomnia diagnoses: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of exposure-based psychotherapy documentation among adults with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders during the preceding year according to session attendance and homework completion: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of behavioural activation documentation among adults with depressive disorders during the preceding year according to session number and functional goals: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy dropout during the preceding year according to diagnosis, number of sessions attended and documented reason for discontinuation: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of routine psychotherapy outcome documentation among adults receiving cognitive behavioural psychotherapy during the preceding twelve months according to symptoms, functioning and follow-up status: a record-based study
Supportive, Family and Psychoeducational Psychotherapy
Association of attendance at routinely provided supportive psychotherapy with functional improvement at twelve weeks among adults with major depressive disorder receiving standard psychiatric treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived emotional support during routine supportive psychotherapy with treatment retention at twelve weeks among adults with recurrent major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of supportive psychotherapy attendance with outpatient follow-up continuity during twelve weeks among adults with severe anxiety disorders receiving routine psychiatric treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of routine psychoeducation attendance with medication adherence at twelve weeks among adults newly diagnosed with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Comparison of twelve-week medication adherence between adults with bipolar disorder whose families attend routine psychoeducation and those whose families do not attend: a prospective observational study
Association of family psychoeducation attendance with recognition of early mood changes during twelve weeks among caregivers of adults with bipolar disorder: a caregiver-patient prospective observational study
Association of caregiver attendance at routine family sessions with outpatient follow-up at twelve weeks among adults recently discharged after a manic episode: a prospective observational study
Association of family psychoeducation with medication supervision during twelve weeks among adults receiving maintenance treatment for schizophrenia: a caregiver-patient prospective observational study
Comparison of twelve-week follow-up attendance between adults with schizophrenia whose caregivers attend routine psychoeducation and those whose caregivers do not attend: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver understanding of psychosis after routine psychoeducation with medication supervision at home during twelve weeks among adults with schizophrenia: a prospective observational study
Association of family psychoeducation attendance with reduction in faith-healer consultations during twelve weeks among adults with first-episode psychosis receiving routine psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver participation in routine family sessions with treatment retention at twelve weeks among adults with alcohol use disorder after detoxification: a prospective observational study
Association of family psychoeducation attendance with medication adherence during three months among adults receiving routine relapse-prevention treatment for alcohol use disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver participation in routine counselling with treatment retention at twelve weeks among adults receiving opioid substitution treatment for opioid use disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of routine motivational counselling attendance with tobacco abstinence at twelve weeks among adults receiving standard treatment for tobacco dependence: a prospective observational study
Association of number of motivational counselling sessions attended with continued tobacco use at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine cessation care: a prospective observational study
Association of family counselling attendance with school return at twelve weeks among adolescents receiving routine treatment for dissociative neurological symptom disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of parental acceptance of the diagnosis after routine family counselling with symptom persistence at eight weeks among adolescents with dissociative disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of routine family counselling with reduction in unnecessary medical consultations during twelve weeks among adults with bodily distress disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver attendance at psychoeducation sessions with home-safety practices at three months among adults with major neurocognitive disorder: a caregiver-patient prospective observational study
Association of routine caregiver psychoeducation with medication supervision at three months among adults with major neurocognitive disorder receiving outpatient care: a prospective observational study
Association of caregiver participation in supportive counselling with caregiver treatment attendance at three months among families of adults with major neurocognitive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of parental psychoeducation attendance with medication adherence at twelve weeks among children receiving routine treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a parent-child prospective observational study
Association of parent-training session attendance with consistency of behavioural rules at home during twelve weeks among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of parent counselling attendance with continuation of remedial education at twelve weeks among children diagnosed with specific learning disorder: a parent-child prospective observational study
Association of school-focused parental counselling with completion of educational accommodation documentation within twelve weeks among children with specific learning disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of routine supportive counselling attendance with school attendance at twelve weeks among adolescents with adjustment disorder receiving standard psychiatric care: a prospective observational study
Association of family counselling attendance with reduction in interpersonal conflict at twelve weeks among adolescents receiving routine treatment for depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of supportive psychotherapy attendance with return to work at twelve weeks among adults with adjustment disorder following occupational stress: a prospective observational study
Association of bereavement-focused supportive counselling attendance with household functioning at twelve weeks among adults with prolonged grief disorder receiving routine care: a prospective observational study
Association of routine supportive psychotherapy attendance with follow-up retention at twelve weeks among adults with personality disorder and recurrent interpersonal crises: a prospective observational study
Association of family-session attendance with repeated emergency psychiatric visits during twelve weeks among adults with personality disorder with borderline pattern: a prospective observational study
Association of psychoeducation attendance with recognition of medication adverse effects among adults receiving routine antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia: a prospective observational study
Association of family psychoeducation with attendance for routine metabolic monitoring at twelve weeks among adults receiving antipsychotic treatment for psychotic disorders: a prospective observational study
Retrospective audit of supportive psychotherapy use during the preceding year according to psychiatric diagnosis, session frequency and follow-up completion: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of family psychoeducation documentation among adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder during the preceding twelve months: a record-based study
Retrospective comparison of family-session attendance among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder during the preceding year: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of parent-training referrals among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during the preceding two academic years according to attendance and follow-up status: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of caregiver counselling among adults with major neurocognitive disorder during the preceding year according to behavioural symptoms and follow-up attendance: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of psychoeducation, supportive counselling and family-session documentation across major psychiatric diagnoses during the preceding twelve months: a record-based study
Psychotherapy Outcomes, Dropout, Satisfaction and Training-Service Audits
Association of baseline depressive episode duration with functional improvement after twelve weeks of routine psychotherapy among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline anxiety symptom duration with twelve-week functional improvement among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for generalised anxiety disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of psychiatric comorbidity with psychotherapy completion during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of personality disorder comorbidity with psychotherapy dropout before twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment for depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of substance use comorbidity with psychotherapy session non-attendance during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine treatment for mood or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline social support with psychotherapy completion during twelve weeks among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline family conflict with psychotherapy dropout during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine treatment for anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of early symptom improvement by four weeks with patient satisfaction at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychotherapy for major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of functional improvement by eight weeks with continued psychotherapy attendance at twelve weeks among adults receiving routine care for depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of baseline treatment expectations with satisfaction after six routine psychotherapy sessions among adults with anxiety or depressive disorders: a prospective observational study
Comparison of patient satisfaction after routine psychotherapy between adults with depressive disorders and adults with anxiety disorders completing at least four sessions: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of waiting time for the first psychotherapy appointment with patient satisfaction after four sessions among adults receiving routine psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of session duration with patient satisfaction after four routine psychotherapy sessions among adults with common mental disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of perceived privacy of the psychotherapy setting with patient satisfaction after four sessions among adults receiving routine outpatient psychological care: a prospective observational study
Association of therapist gender concordance with patient comfort discussing sensitive concerns after three psychotherapy sessions among adults with depressive or anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of preferred-language psychotherapy availability with patient satisfaction after four sessions among adults receiving routine care in a multilingual teaching hospital: a prospective observational study
Association of clinician explanation of psychotherapy before referral with attendance at the first session among adults with major depressive disorder: a prospective observational study
Association of written appointment reminders with psychotherapy attendance under routine clinic practice during twelve weeks among adults with depressive and anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of appointment interval exceeding two weeks with psychotherapy dropout during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine outpatient psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Comparison of psychotherapy attendance between patients scheduled on the same day as psychiatric review and those scheduled on separate days under routine service practice: a comparative observational study
Association of number of psychotherapy appointments scheduled with completion proportion during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of distance from psychotherapy clinic with total sessions attended during twelve weeks among adults with common mental disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of monsoon-season travel difficulties with psychotherapy attendance during twelve weeks among adults receiving routine outpatient psychological treatment: a prospective observational study
Association of examination periods with psychotherapy attendance among college students receiving routine treatment for depressive and anxiety disorders: a prospective observational study
Association of major festival periods with psychotherapy session attendance among adults receiving routine outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder or mood disorders: a prospective observational study
Comparison of psychotherapy dropout between patients receiving weekday morning appointments and those receiving afternoon appointments under routine clinical scheduling: a comparative observational study
Association of therapist case load with delay between psychotherapy referral and first session among adults receiving routine care in a teaching hospital: a service-based cross-sectional analytical study
Association of trainee rotation-related therapist change with psychotherapy completion during twelve weeks among adults receiving psychological treatment in a postgraduate teaching service: a prospective observational study
Comparison of psychotherapy documentation completeness between sessions conducted by psychiatry residents and sessions conducted by clinical psychology trainees under routine supervised care: a retrospective record-based study
Association of formal supervision frequency with documentation of treatment goals and session progress among psychiatry residents providing routine psychotherapy during the preceding six months: a service-based cross-sectional analytical study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy referrals generated by psychiatry residents during the preceding year according to diagnosis, referral indication and patient attendance: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy dropout during the preceding year according to age, sex, diagnosis, session number and documented reason for discontinuation: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of waiting time from psychotherapy referral to first session during the preceding year according to diagnosis and service demand: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy session frequency during the preceding year according to diagnosis, therapist category and treatment duration: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of patient-reported functional outcomes documented after routine psychotherapy during the preceding year according to depressive, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy treatment-goal documentation during the preceding twelve months according to diagnosis, therapist category and number of sessions completed: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of informed consent and confidentiality documentation for routine psychotherapy during the preceding twelve months according to adult and adolescent service settings: a record-based study
Retrospective comparison of psychotherapy attendance before and after major examination periods among adolescents and young adults receiving routine psychiatric care over two academic years: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of psychotherapy service utilisation during the preceding year according to referral source, diagnosis, sessions attended, dropout and documented treatment outcome: a record-based study
Retrospective audit of adherence to departmental psychotherapy documentation standards during the preceding twelve months according to assessment, formulation, goals, session notes and termination planning: a record-based study
Not the psychiatry subspeciality you need? Psychotherapy is one section of our full psychiatry collection — the hub page lists every subspeciality, each with its own free topic list. Updated September 2026.
📌 Updated for 2026–2027 MD Psychiatry Psychotherapy admissions
The page has been reviewed for realistic service-based recruitment, clear treatment-exposure definitions and outcomes that can be measured during routine psychological care.
Most projects require validated symptom, functioning, alliance or satisfaction measures plus routine session records rather than specialised laboratory or imaging equipment.
Randomised allocation, research-only investigations and highly manualised experimental therapy are not required for most feasible observational topics, but the psychotherapy actually delivered must be described clearly.
Publication potential is strongest when diagnosis, treatment approach, therapist category, session exposure, co-treatment and dropout are defined before analysis rather than reconstructed afterwards.
Generate a protocol from any topic above
Select Generate Protocol → beside any title in the list above and receive a submission-ready document built around that topic, containing all eighteen components:
Introduction / Synopsis
Research Question
Aim of the Study
Primary Objective
Secondary Objectives
Materials and Methods
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Sample Size Calculation
Methodology
Statistical Analysis
Ethical Considerations
Review of Literature
References
Gantt Chart / Study Timeline
Patient Information Sheet
Consent Form
Data Collection Form
Already have your thesis title?
Generate the full psychotherapy protocol directly — objectives, methodology, sample size, statistics, timeline, references and annexures.
Alongside psychotherapy protocols and synopses, support is also available for departmental presentations, journal club presentations, ethics committee presentations, and posters and oral presentations for medical conferences — for postgraduate residents, board trainees and research scholars across India and the GCC. Prepared by a practising doctor with long experience in medical publishing and thesis supervision.
The topics above work as research questions anywhere — what changes is the document the institution expects, and who approves it before data collection begins. The Gulf equivalent of an Indian synopsis is the psychotherapy research proposal submitted to an institutional review board, and it ordinarily carries three sections an Indian synopsis does not: a Gantt chart, a budget and resources section, and a Declaration of Helsinki statement.
Board and residency programmes — country by country
Saudi Arabia — SCFHS and the Saudi Board. Residency and fellowship training under the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties includes a research project with a set timeline, and the psychotherapy research proposal is the document prepared at the outset and cleared by the institutional review board before recruitment starts.
United Arab Emirates — DHA, DOH Abu Dhabi and MOHAP. Residents training in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates prepare a psychotherapy research protocol for their programme and submit it for institutional review board approval before any data are collected.
Qatar — DHP (formerly QCHP) and Hamad Medical Corporation. A psychotherapy IRB proposal is reviewed before recruitment, with the ethics section written to the institution's own template rather than a generic one.
Bahrain — NHRA. Trainees turning psychotherapy research topics into a project need the proposal cleared by their institutional research and ethics committee before fieldwork begins.
Oman — OMSB. Residency programmes under the Oman Medical Specialty Board include a research component, and the psychotherapy research proposal is the document assessed at the start of it.
Kuwait — KIMS. A psychotherapy study protocol goes to the institutional committee for approval before the project begins.
Arab Board programmes across the region. The Arab Board carries its own research requirement irrespective of the host country, and the psychotherapy proposal follows the same structure throughout.
Postgraduate degrees — Malaysia, the Gulf and beyond
Malaysia — MMed, the National Medical Research Register and MREC. A psychotherapy dissertation proposal for a Master of Medicine programme carried out in a Ministry of Health facility must be registered on the NMRR and approved by the Medical Research and Ethics Committee before the study begins, and the guidance asks for submission four to six months ahead of data collection. Every investigator on the study team registers on the NMRR as well, so the methodology, ethics and team sections are written in far more detail than an Indian synopsis requires.
PhD and Master's candidates elsewhere. University programmes generally require a full psychotherapy research proposal of roughly 6,000 to 10,000 words, with an extended literature review, a theoretical framework and a detailed methodology chapter.
PhD and MMed proposals are written individually by a medical doctor and revised until the supervisor accepts them. They are not produced by the automated protocol generator.
🔥 Trending research areas in Psychotherapy for 2026–27
Psychotherapy uptake and treatment access: travel burden, scheduling, stigma, family beliefs and waiting time provide practical service-level outcomes that can be measured prospectively.
Therapeutic alliance and early engagement: alliance, treatment-goal agreement and therapist continuity are increasingly studied as predictors of retention, while temporal ordering remains crucial.
Adapted cognitive behavioural psychotherapy: literacy, language, culturally relevant examples and verbal or pictorial homework alternatives allow feasible research on real-world treatment delivery.
Dropout and service quality: appointment interval, therapist rotation, documentation quality and session completion provide clinically useful outcomes for postgraduate teaching services.
Protocol and synopsis guidance
What a Psychotherapy protocol must contain
Define the treatment exposure precisely. The protocol should state the psychotherapy approach, therapist category, session frequency, approximate duration, number of sessions considered meaningful exposure and whether treatment is individual, family-based, supportive, behavioural or cognitive behavioural. A label such as "psychotherapy received" is too vague for reproducible research.
Separate attendance from treatment efficacy. Patients who complete more sessions may differ in motivation, symptom severity, travel burden, family support or early improvement before those later outcomes are measured. If session number, homework completion or treatment retention is the exposure, the analysis should treat these as observational variables rather than automatically interpreting them as causal treatment effects.
Account for therapist and co-treatment effects. Therapist experience, language, continuity, supervision and style may influence alliance and outcome, while medication and other psychiatric care may change simultaneously. The protocol should record therapist category and major co-treatments and state how these factors will be handled in analysis.
Psychotherapy synopsis versus Psychotherapy protocol
The synopsis states the psychological treatment question and broad plan. It should identify the patient group, psychotherapy approach, main exposure or process variable, outcome, study design and follow-up interval. For service-based work, it should also make clear that treatment is being delivered as part of routine care rather than assigned experimentally by the thesis.
The protocol must operationalise treatment dose and process variables. It should define what counts as session attendance, dropout, treatment completion, homework adherence, therapeutic alliance, patient satisfaction and functional improvement. Timing matters because alliance measured after symptom improvement cannot automatically be treated as a baseline predictor of that same improvement.
Avoid immortal-time and reverse-causation errors. A patient can only become a four-session completer by remaining in treatment long enough to attend four sessions, while early symptom improvement may itself increase later attendance. The protocol should therefore fix when exposures and outcomes are measured and avoid comparing post-treatment groups as if they existed at baseline.
Sample size and statistical analysis
The patient is usually the main unit of analysis, but therapist clustering may matter. Several patients may be treated by the same therapist, and outcomes from those patients may be more similar than outcomes from patients treated by different therapists. If therapist effects are substantial or the number of therapists is small, this should be acknowledged and, where feasible, handled analytically.
Choose analysis according to the outcome. Alliance and satisfaction scores may be continuous or ordinal, dropout and treatment completion may be binary, number of attended sessions may be count data, and time to discontinuation may be analysed as a time-to-event outcome. Repeated symptom or functioning measurements require paired or repeated-measures methods.
Missing data are often informative. Psychotherapy dropouts commonly provide fewer follow-up measurements, so complete-case analysis may preferentially retain patients who are already doing better or are more engaged. The protocol should define how missed sessions and missing outcome assessments will be reported and analysed rather than silently excluding them.
1. How do I choose a feasible Psychotherapy thesis topic?
For 2026–2027 admissions, choose a psychotherapy service or patient group that already has a reliable flow of referrals and routine follow-up. Uptake, waiting time, session attendance, dropout, alliance, homework completion, functional outcome and satisfaction are usually more feasible than trying to test a new psychotherapy package. A strong topic defines the patient group, treatment exposure, time point and outcome before recruitment.
2. Which study designs are accepted for Psychotherapy research?
Prospective observational studies, comparative observational studies, cross-sectional service evaluations and retrospective record-based audits are all suitable when aligned with the objective. Routine-care psychotherapy studies should not be described as trials unless treatment allocation is actually controlled by the study. Questions about attendance, alliance and dropout are often best handled prospectively because the sequence of exposure and outcome can then be recorded clearly.
3. What should I settle with my guide before finalising the topic?
Settle the psychotherapy approach, diagnosis or target problem, therapist category, session frequency, treatment setting, main process variable, primary outcome and follow-up interval. Also decide how medication, therapist changes, missed sessions, incomplete homework, treatment dropout and comorbid psychiatric disorders will be handled because these can materially affect interpretation.
4. How should psychotherapy dropout and missed sessions be analysed?
Define dropout before looking at the data, such as discontinuation before a specified session or absence from scheduled treatment without return during a defined period. Missed sessions, planned termination and clinician-led discharge should not automatically be combined. Because people who drop out often differ systematically from completers, the protocol should compare baseline characteristics where appropriate and report missing follow-up outcomes rather than simply deleting those patients.
5. What is the difference between a synopsis and a protocol for these topics?
The synopsis is the concise academic proposal submitted for approval, whereas the protocol is the operational document that specifies exactly what psychological treatment was delivered and how treatment exposure and outcomes will be measured. Psychotherapy protocols need explicit definitions for treatment approach, therapist category, session number, alliance, homework, dropout, co-treatment, outcome timing and missing data.
6. What are the main ethics issues in Psychotherapy research?
Participation in the study should be clearly separated from access to routine psychotherapy so that patients do not feel obliged to consent in order to receive care. For minors, guardian consent and developmentally appropriate assent from about seven years should be obtained where applicable. Eligible retrospective audits may receive a consent waiver after ethics approval and appropriate anonymisation.
Psychotherapy notes often contain trauma, abuse, sexual concerns, family conflict, substance use and other highly sensitive information, so data extraction should be limited to variables required by the protocol. Separate consent is required for audio or video recording of sessions, and recordings need secure storage with restricted access. The protocol should also define an escalation pathway for suicidality, abuse, violence or another safeguarding concern disclosed during therapy. Research-only radiation, contrast or venepuncture should not be added unless independently justified.
7. Why can more psychotherapy sessions not automatically be interpreted as a treatment effect?
Patients who attend more sessions are a selected group. They may have better family support, shorter travel distance, greater motivation, fewer adverse effects, stronger early alliance or earlier symptom improvement than patients who discontinue treatment. These factors can influence both attendance and final outcome, so session number is not equivalent to random treatment dose.
Timing creates another problem. A patient must remain in therapy long enough to become a four-session or six-session completer, and improvement occurring during those early sessions may itself encourage continued attendance. Observational studies can examine the association between session exposure and outcome, but causal language should be avoided unless the design and analysis genuinely support it.
8. Can these topics be used for PhD proposals or board research projects outside the Indian MD pathway?
Yes, but the scope and methodological depth differ. A PhD proposal generally needs a broader research gap, stronger theoretical framework and a programme of work beyond a single MD-style synopsis. Focused psychotherapy questions can also be adapted to mandatory research-project or proposal requirements used by SCFHS and the Saudi Board, the Arab Board of Health Specializations, and DHP, DHA, DOH and MOHAP-linked training programmes, subject to local supervision, ethics and submission requirements.
9. When should I register a Psychotherapy thesis protocol?
Registration should occur after the guide has approved the patient group, psychotherapy exposure, therapist variables, outcomes and follow-up plan but before prospective enrolment or research data collection begins. Ethics and institutional or university registration should follow the local sequence. Retrospective service audits should define the record period and extraction framework before reviewing the dataset.
Found a topic that fits your department?
Generate its full protocol — objectives, methodology, sample size, statistics, timeline, references and annexures — in editable format.
