The Italian Validation of the Session Impacts Scale: A Pilot Study.

Summary Introduction: This article reports on an initial validation study of the Italian translation of the Session Impacts Scale (SIS), which is a brief measure of the perceived impacts of therapy sessions. Method: Data were collected from a heterogeneous group of clients seen through the Dynamic Psychotherapy Service for university students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) clearly showed the emergence of a three-factor structure, overlapping with the original dimensions called Tasks Impacts, Relationship Impacts, and Hindering Impacts. A second-order EFA confirmed a division between the Helpful Impacts factor and the Hindering Impacts factor. Results: Reliability as internal consistency was very good for Tasks Impacts, Relationship Impacts, and Helpful Impacts scales and discrete for the Hindering Impacts one. Correlations with both the Session Evaluation Questionnaire scales and with a measure of the patients’ satisfaction about the consultation process highlighted a discrete convergent validity of the Italian SIS. Conclusions: Also in its Italian version, SIS presents the important feature to detect pathogenic interpersonal dynamics between patient and therapist and should help to avoid the risk of anti-therapeutic relational and technical movements. Further validation studies are needed to replicate the factor structure with a more homogenous sample.