This study examined the role of emotional catharsis in brief emotive psychotherapy and its differential effects within three time frames. Forty-one patients at a University Health Service were seen in one of three ways: (a) i hour, twice a week; (b) 1 hour, once a week; or (c) 2 hours, every other week. Duration of therapy (number of weeks) and amount of therapy (number of hours) were not varied. Outcome was asesscd using (a) the sum of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Scales D, ft, and Sc; (b) a personal satisfaction interview; and (c) behavioral target complaints. The amount of emotional catharsis produced in each session was also measured. Patients in the 1-hour group produced the most catharsis and improved the most on the personal satisfaction interview and behavioral target complaints, with high-catharsis patients showing the greatest improvement. Patients in the J-hour group improved the most on the MMPI scales, irrespective of the amount of catharsis produced. These findings are seen as supporting the contention that within a specific time frame emotional catharsis can lead to certain positive outcomes in brief emotive psychotherapy.
Treated sample of 42 patients with cathartic psychotherapy and evaluated differential effectiveness on types of patients. Patients without mental disorders experienced more emotional catharsis than all others, and those with obsessive compulsive personality disorders improved more than all others as a result of emotive treatment. Contrary to popular notions, neither women nor hysterics experienced more catharsis or improved more in cathartic therapy. Although women and hysterics may cry more easily in daily life, obsessives are apparently more able to maintain focus on unhappy experiences and are therefore able to express more emotion in cathartic therapy. Furthermore, it seems that cathartic treatment is beneficial by disrupting long-standing defenses against emotional experiences, rather than by releasing stored-up affects.
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