1,721,004 research outputs found

    A Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Psychodynamic Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: An Evidence-Based Approach

    No full text
    Although there is evidence for the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy (PDT) in anxiety disorders, results are not yet satisfactory, for example, if rates of remission and response are considered. To address this problem, a unified psychodynamic protocol for anxiety disorders (UPP-ANXIETY) is proposed that integrates the treatment principles of those methods of PDT that have proven to be efficacious in anxiety disorders. In addition, this protocol is transdiagnostic, implying that is it is applicable to various forms of anxiety disorders and related disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic disorders, avoidant personality disorder). Based on supportive-expressive therapy, the UPP-ANXIETY represents an integrated form of psychodynamic therapy that allows for a flexible use of empirically supported treatment principles. UPP-ANXIETY encompasses the following 9 treatment principles (modules): (1) socializing the patient for psychotherapy, (2) motivating and setting treatment goals, (3) establishing a secure helping alliance, (4) identifying the core conflict underlying anxiety, (5) focusing on the warded-off wish/affect, (6) modifying underlying internalized object relations, (7) changing underlying defenses and avoidance, (8) modifying underlying response of self, and (9) termination and relapse prevention. Some principles are regarded as core components to be used in every treatment (principles 3-8). A unified protocol for the psychodynamic treatment of anxiety disorders has several advantages, that is (1) integrating the most effective treatment principles of empirically supported psychodynamic treatments for anxiety disorders can be expected to further improve the efficacy of PDT; (2) using a unified protocol in efficacy studies has the potential to enhance the evidence-based status of PDT by aggregating the evidence; (3) a unified protocol will facilitate both training in PDT and transfer of research to clinical practice; and (4) thus, a unified protocol can be expected to have a significant impact on the health care system. We are planning to test the UPP-ANXIETY in a multicenter randomized controlled trial

    THE EFFICACY OF PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY IN SPECIFIC MENTAL DISORDERS: A 2013 UPDATE OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

    No full text
    This article reviews the empirical evidence for psychodynamic therapy for specific mental disorders in adults. The focus is on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, this does not imply that RCTs are uncritically accepted as the gold standard for demonstrating that a treatment works. According to the results presented here, there is evidence from RCTs that psychodynamic therapy is efficacious in common mental disorders, that is, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, complicated grief, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance-related disorder. These results clearly contradict assertions repeatedly made by representatives of other psychotherapeutic approaches claiming psychodynamic psychotherapy is not empirically supported. However, further research is needed, both on outcome and processes of psychodynamic psychotherapy. There is a need, for example, for RCTs of psychodynamic psychotherapy of PTSD. Furthermore, research on long-term psychotherapy for specific mental disorders is required

    The Psychoanalytic-Interactional Method (PiM) for Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder

    No full text
    Background: Studies have shown the practicality of diagnosing borderline personality disorder (BPD) in children from the age of 12 years (cf. ICD-11, DSM-5). Research in the psychodynamic therapy of adolescents with BPD has been rare to date, however, there do exist some studies on the efficacy and effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in adults with borderline personality disorder. Methods: We adapted the psychoanalytic-interactional method (PiM), originally developed in the treatment of severely disturbed adults, to the conditions of adolescents diagnosed with borderline personality disorder or structural deficits. Randomized controlled trial in an inpatient setting (Salzer et al., 2013; Salzer et al., 2014) showed that PIM is efficacious for adolescents with BPD symptoms. We describe the approach to treatment in detail. Results: The results of the therapeutic study and the short case vignette show that PiM is a useful method in both inpatient and outpatient treatment and meets the specific requirements of adolescent treatment

    Changes in OPD-CA Axis Structure During Inpatient Psychodynamic Treatment of Adolescents Suffering from Comorbid Disorders of Conduct and Emotions

    No full text
    In a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) we evaluated an inpatient psychodynamic treatment for adolescents suffering from mixed disorders of conduct and emotions. The sample consisted of severely impaired adolescents with remarkable deficits regarding psychic structure. The current study wanted to examine if the manualized treatment did not only reduce symptoms but also enhance the structural level of the patients. The axis structure of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics in Childhood and Adolescence (OPD-CA) was used to assess the structural level of N = 46 adolescent inpatients. To examine differences between the patients' structural level at the beginning and at the end of inpatient treatment we conducted a repeated measures ANOVA. The overall score as well as the three subscores of the axis structure improved significantly during inpatient treatment. The corresponding effect sizes were large (eta(2) = .29 to .47). The inpatient psychodynamic treatment led to significant improvements regarding symptomatology as well as psychic structure. However, further studies with larger sample size and control group data should be conducted to confirm these results

    Early Intervention for Borderline Personality Disorder: Psychodynamic Therapy in Adolescents

    No full text
    Objectives: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) should be understood as a disorder of development (Streeck-Fischer 2008, 2013) that has its first manifestation in late childhood and adolescence. There are only few treatment studies of adolescents meeting the diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorder, although early interventions for these patients are urgently needed (see Chanen & McCutcheon 2013). We examined the effectiveness of an inpatient psychodynamic therapy (PDT). Methods: Twenty-eight adolescents fulfilling the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorder were treated with psychodynamic therapy. The mean duration of treatment was 29.87 weeks (SD = 15.88). Outcomes were remission rates, GAF, GSI, SDQ, IIP and BPI scores. Assessments were made at admission and after treatment. Pre-post comparisons and comparisons with normative data were conducted. Results: At the end of treatment 39.29% of the patients were remitted. We found significant improvements for the GAF, GSI, SDQ, IIP (all p <0.001) and the BPI (p = 0.006). Conclusions: These clinically relevant improvements demonstrate the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in adolescents with borderline personality disorder and stress the usefulness of an early intervention for these patients

    Changes in OPD-CA Axis Structure During Inpatient Psychodynamic Treatment of Adolescents Suffering from Comorbid Disorders of Conduct and Emotions

    No full text
    In a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) we evaluated an inpatient psychodynamic treatment for adolescents suffering from mixed disorders of conduct and emotions. The sample consisted of severely impaired adolescents with remarkable deficits regarding psychic structure. The current study wanted to examine if the manualized treatment did not only reduce symptoms but also enhance the structural level of the patients. The axis structure of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics in Childhood and Adolescence (OPD-CA) was used to assess the structural level of N = 46 adolescent inpatients. To examine differences between the patients' structural level at the beginning and at the end of inpatient treatment we conducted a repeated measures ANOVA. The overall score as well as the three subscores of the axis structure improved significantly during inpatient treatment. The corresponding effect sizes were large (eta(2) = .29 to .47). The inpatient psychodynamic treatment led to significant improvements regarding symptomatology as well as psychic structure. However, further studies with larger sample size and control group data should be conducted to confirm these results

    The self-concept of patients with Social Anxiety Disorder: Manifestation and change through psychotherapy

    No full text
    Objectives: To determine whether the self-concept of patients with Social Anxiety Disorder deviates significantly from that found in the normative sample, to what extent it changes through psychotherapeutic short-term interventions and how such changes in self-concept relate to changes in the level of social anxiety. Methods: The self-concept of N = 86 patients with Social Anxiety Disorder was assessed using the Frankfurter-Selbstkonzeptskalen (FSKN; Deusinger 1986). Patients were treated with a manualized cognitive (CT) or psychodynamic (PDT) short-term intervention. The level of social anxiety was assessed pre-therapy and post-therapy via the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (Stangier & Heidenreich 2004) and the Social Phobia and Anxiety Scale (Fydrich 2002). Results: Patients with Social Anxiety Disorder exhibited a significantly more negative self-concept than the norm (all ps < 0.001). Their self-concept improved significantly in all facets following psychotherapeutic short-term intervention (all ps < 0.01). No significant difference was found between cognitive and psychodynamic therapy. Improvements in self-concept correlate with reductions in social anxiety. Conclusions: The results confirm the relevance of self-concept in Social Anxiety Disorder and its susceptibility to short-term-therapy
    corecore