Distinctive features of short-term psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy: A review of the comparative psychotherapy process literature.

Abstract

The present article is a review of the comparative psychotherapy process literature. It is an effort to delineate techniques and processes that distinguish two prominent forms of treatment. Seven interventions stood out as distinguishing psychodynamic‐interpersonal therapy from cognitive‐behavioral treatment: (1) a focus on affect and the expression of patients’ emotions; (2) an exploration of patients’ attempts to avoid topics or engage in activities that hinder the progress of therapy; (3) the identification of patterns in patients’ actions, thoughts, feelings, experiences, and relationships; (4) an emphasis on past experiences; (5) a focus on a patients’ interpersonal experiences; (6) an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship; and (7) an exploration of patients’ wishes, dreams, or fantasies. A better understanding of the specific techniques and processes that distinguish psychodynamic‐interpersonal from cognitive‐behavioral therapy can facilitate process‐outcome research, aid in the training and teaching of psychodynamic‐interpersonal psychotherapy, and provide psychodynamic‐interpersonal therapists with a guide for session activity.

The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

“…To help dispel possible myths and facilitate greater understanding of psychodynamic practice, in this section I review core features of contemporary psychodynamic technique. Blagys and Hilsenroth (2000) conducted a search of the PsycLit database to identify empirical studies that compared the process and technique of manualized psychodynamic therapy with that of manualized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Seven features reliably distinguished psychodynamic therapy from other therapies, as determined by empirical examination of actual session recordings and transcripts (note that the features listed below concern process and technique only, not underlying principles that inform these techniques; for a discussion of concepts and principles, see Gabbard, 2004;McWilliams, 2004;Shedler, 2006a):…”

A review and critical appraisal of measures of therapist-patient interactions in mental health settings

“…Increased use of exploration is associated with more positive relationship ratings. 30,41,[50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62] …”

“…51 However, the basic elements of the patient-therapist relationship remain the same for most therapies. Even in computerised therapies patients still form strong attachments to the therapy.…”

Is affect experiencing therapeutic in major depressive disorder? Examining associations between affect experiencing and changes to the alliance and outcome in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy.

“…Therapist focus on encouraging the expression and experiencing of feelings is recognized as a characteristic feature of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapies (STPP) (Blagys & Hilsenroth, 2000). Indeed, a meta-analysis including 10 STPP studies found that therapist facilitation of affect was positively associated with treatment improvement (Diener, Hilsenroth, & Weinberger, 2007).…”