Narrative and emotion integration processes in emotion-focused therapy for complex trauma: an exploratory process-outcome analysis

Carpenter, Naomi; Angus, Lynne; Paivio, Sandra C.; Bryntwick, Emily

doi:10.1080/14779757.2015.1132756

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similarly, findings from the present study are consistent with previous research on both experiential therapy for depression and psychodynamic therapy for adjustment disorder, each showing primary adaptive emotions are linked to good treatment outcome at various levels, but neither found differences between outcome groups on the early expressions of distress (Kramer et al, 2015;Pascual-Leone & Greenberg, 2007). Finally, another study that used a smaller subset of cases included in the current study (Carpenter et al, 2016) also concluded that narratives focused on emotional awareness, reconstructing new self-identity, and characterized by being coherent and personally meaningful were significantly associated with good treatment outcome. That study and the current one represent different ways of examining emotional processes in the context of narratives, and their convergence further strengthens the current findings.…”

Section: Clients Who Experience More Primary Adaptive Emotions Have B...supporting

confidence: 91%

Emotional processing of trauma narratives is a predictor of outcome in emotion-focused therapy for complex trauma.

Khayyat-Abuaita¹,

Paivio²,

Pascual‐Leone³

et al. 2019

Psychotherapy

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study tested a model of emotional processes over the course of emotion-focused therapy for trauma. The model of emotional processing (Pascual-Leone & Greenberg, 2007) proposes a sequential order of shifting from "early expressions of distress" to "primary adaptive emotion" that aid in adaptive functioning. Thirty-eight participants were taken from a randomized clinical trial to examine in-session process from video recordings of treatment. The sample had an average age (M ϭ 44.3 years) and the majority was female (55.3%) and of European descent (89.5%). The Classification of Affective Meaning States was used to examine changes in emotional processes during trauma narratives in both early and late sessions. Processes were related to treatment outcome as measured by the Impact of Event Scale and the Resolution Scale. Sessions later in treatment showed a higher frequency of primary adaptive emotions compared with early sessions (p Ͻ .001, r ϭ .76). Primary adaptive emotions were also more frequent in good-outcome cases (p ϭ .017). Using emotional processes as predictors correctly classified 67% of poor-outcome cases and 80% of good-outcome cases. Increases in primary adaptive emotions from early to late treatment sessions more than doubled the odds (2.2) of having a good treatment outcome. The order of emotion was concordant with the sequential model in early sessions and partially concordant in late sessions. Findings have implications for guiding therapeutic process in a productive manner that leads to trauma recovery. Changes in discrete emotions were related to good treatment outcome. Clinical Impact StatementQuestion: In what way do client emotions change over the course of emotion-focused therapy for trauma? Findings: Increasing adaptive emotions and minimizing expressions of distress facilitates trauma recovery. Meaning: This will help clinicians guide the therapeutic process toward positive treatment outcomes. Next Steps: It would be beneficial for future research to focus on factors that facilitate change in emotional processes over the course of treatment.

show abstract

Section: Clients Who Experience More Primary Adaptive Emotions Have B...supporting

confidence: 91%

Emotional processing of trauma narratives is a predictor of outcome in emotion-focused therapy for complex trauma.

Khayyat-Abuaita¹,

Paivio²,

Pascual‐Leone³

et al. 2019

Psychotherapy

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The author applied the Narrative-Emotion Process Coding System 2.0 to two early, two middle and two late Emotion-Focused Therapy for Trauma sessions selected from 12 clients (six recovered from the trauma vs six unchanged). The results are consistent with Carpenter et al (2016) and Boritz et al (2014). Recovered clients have significant statistically higher proportions of Transition Marker (Inchoate Storytelling) in early and mid-therapy phase [Wald X 2 (1) = 13.05; p = 0.003; Wald X 2 (1) = 12.87; p = 0.003, respectively] and Change Marker (Discovery Storytelling) in mid and latetherapy phases [Wald X 2 (1) = 6.67; p = 0.049; Wald X 2 (1) = 8.84; p = 0.021, respectively].…”

Section: Process-outcome Studiessupporting

confidence: 90%

“…A new research area is addressing the role of narrative and emotion integration when treating clients for Complex Trauma. Initially, Carpenter et al (2016) applied Narrative-Emotion Process Coding System 1.0 to two initial, middle, and final sessions of Emotion-Focused Therapy for Trauma for two recovered clients vs two unrecovered clients. Researchers randomly selected their sample for Imaging Confrontation and Empathic Exploration.…”

Section: Process-outcome Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regarding Problem Markers, the unrecovered group showed higher proportions (M = 0.10) than the recovered group (M = 0.02) of Unstoried Emotion. The main conclusion of Carpenter et al (2016) is that while unchanged trauma clients have difficulty in elaborating their emotional experiences and solving their problems, the changed clients show greater ease in constructing more positive and cohesive narratives, with new associated meanings.…”

Section: Process-outcome Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Review of Empirical Studies Investigating Narrative, Emotion and Meaning-Making Modes and Client Process Markers in Psychotherapy

Aleixo

Pires

Angus

et al. 2020

J Contemp Psychother

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite the importance of narrative, emotional and meaning-making processes in psychotherapy, there has been no review of studies using the main instruments developed to address these processes. The objective is to review the studies about client narrative and narrative-emotional processes in psychotherapy that used the Narrative Process Coding System or the Narrative-Emotion Process Coding System (1.0 and 2.0). To identify the studies, we searched The Book Collection, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PsycBOOKS, PEP Archive, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Academic Search Complete and the Web of Knowledge databases. We found 27 empirical studies using one of the three coding systems. The studies applied the Narrative Process Coding System and the Narrative-Emotion Process Coding System to different therapeutic modalities and patients with various clinical disorders. In some studies, early, middle and late phases of therapy were compared, while other studies conducted intensive case analyses of Narrative Process Coding System and Narrative-Emotion Process Coding System patterns comparing recovered vs unchanged clients. The review supports the importance to look for the contribution of narrative, emotion, meaning-making patterns or narrative-emotion markers, to treatment outcomes and encourages the application of these instruments in process-outcome research in psychotherapy.

show abstract

“…The emotional dimension relates to the ability to provide an emotional flow and a continuous sequence of life events without experiencing emotional dissociations, while the cognitive dimension relates to the process of making the life story narrative complete. The integration of a traumatic event into the life story is a central goal among psychotherapies that treat trauma survivors, such as the emotion-focused therapy (Carpenter et al, 2016) and the narrative therapy approach (e.g., Schauer et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration of trauma in music therapy: A qualitative study.

Bensimon¹

2022

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: The importance of integration in psychotherapy is a growing area of research, theory, and practice, especially regarding traumatic events. Although research relates to integration in the context of music therapy with trauma survivors, it has rarely been the main focus of research. The current study investigates which principles and techniques guide music therapists to facilitate integration of trauma survivors. Method: Using the phenomenological approach, analysis of semistructured interviews with 41 experienced music therapists working with traumatized populations was conducted to identify themes regarding their perception on integration. Results: The findings yielded three different ways of integration. Body integration entails the ability of active music playing to serve as a sensorial stimulus that bypasses linguistic and logical mediation and enables clients to live in peace with their body and feel whole. Event integration relates to a process by which a repressed traumatic event reemerges into consciousness through music and leads to emotional and cognitive integration of that event. Lastly, life story integration relates to the ability to perceive a life story as a whole. The process includes embedding a trauma into the natural flow of a life story through music and achieving emotional and cognitive integration. Conclusions: These three ways of integration are conceptualized as a progression of three consecutive levels of integration which may assist music therapists in their work with trauma survivors. Clinical Impact StatementThe findings indicate three consecutive levels of integration which may be achieved in music therapy with trauma clients. Body integration entails the ability of music to be a sensorial stimulus that bypasses linguistic and logical mediation and enables clients to live in peace with their body and feel whole. Event integration is the process by which repressed traumatic events reemerge into consciousness through music and lead to emotional and cognitive integration of the event. Lastly, life story integration is the process of embedding traumas into the natural flow of a life story through music and achieving emotional and cognitive integration.

show abstract

Narrative and emotion integration processes in emotion-focused therapy for complex trauma: an exploratory process-outcome analysis

Cited by 19 publications

References 32 publications

Emotional processing of trauma narratives is a predictor of outcome in emotion-focused therapy for complex trauma.

Emotional processing of trauma narratives is a predictor of outcome in emotion-focused therapy for complex trauma.

A Review of Empirical Studies Investigating Narrative, Emotion and Meaning-Making Modes and Client Process Markers in Psychotherapy

Integration of trauma in music therapy: A qualitative study.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About