Narrative change in emotion-focused therapy: How is change constructed through the lens of the innovative moments coding system?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to advance understanding of how clients construct their own process of change in effective therapy sessions. Toward this end, the authors applied a narrative methodological tool for the study of the change process in emotion-focused therapy (EFT), replicating a previous study done with narrative therapy (NT). The Innovative Moments Coding System (IMCS) was applied to three good-outcome and three poor-outcome cases in EFT for depression to track the innovative moments (IMs), or exceptions to the problematic self-narrative, in the therapeutic conversation. IMCS allows tracking of five types of IMs events: action, reflection, protest, reconceptualization, and performing change. The analysis revealed significant differences between the good-outcome and poor-outcome groups regarding reconceptualization and performing change IMs, replicating the findings from a previous study. Reconceptualization and performing change IMs seem to be vital in the change process.

Procesos Narrativos en Psicoterapia: diferencias entre clientes con buen y mal resultado

“…Again, as discussed by Angus (2012) our data demonstrates that changes in the narrative process are the key to clients change. Also coherently with the work of M. Gonçalves et al, 2011Gonçalves et al, , 2012Matos et al, 2009;Mendes et al, 2010Mendes et al, , 2011; therapeutic change is correlated with changes not only in narrative process but also in its content.…”

“…Research by the group led by Miguel Gonçalves and Inês Mendes (see Gonçalves et al, 2011Gonçalves et al, , 2012Mendes et al, 2010Mendes et al, , 2011Matos et al, 2009) on new emerging therapeutic meanings that they refer to as Innovative Moments (IMs) demonstrate that IMs are transtheoretical since all therapies aim to create alternative meanings in clients' self-narratives. Again, therapeutic change is correlated with changes in narrative process and content.…”

Momentos de inovação em psicoterapia: Das narrativas aos processos dialógicos

“…Mendes et al, 2010), neste caso relativo à aplicação do sistema a uma amostra de depressão, submetida a terapia centrada nas emoções. Note-se que a saliência média de MIs é muito superior nos casos de sucesso, chegando quase aos 35% no caso 1.…”

“…Até ao momento actual o SCMI foi aplicado a diferentes amostras de clientes em psicoterapia breve, quer em termos de modelo de intervenção terapêutica -terapia centrada nas emoções, terapia centrada no cliente, terapia cognitivo-comportamental e terapia construtivista -quer em termos do tipo de diagnóstico e/ou problemática clínica do cliente -desde clientes deprimidos a vítimas de violência conjugal Matos et al, 2009;Mendes et al, 2010). Este sistema foi igualmente aplicado ao estudo intensivo de casos clínicos (Alves, Mendes, Gonçalves, & Neimeyer, 2012;Gonçalves, Mendes et al, 2010;Ribeiro, Bento, Salgado, Stiles, & Gonçalves, 2011;Santos, Gonçalves, & Matos, 2010;Santos, Gonçalves, Matos, & Salvatore, 2009).…”

“…A investigação realizada com o SCMI Matos, Santos, Gonçalves, & Martins, 2009;Mendes et al, 2010) tem, assim, revelado que os casos de sucesso se caracterizam por: (a) uma tendência progressiva na saliência dos MIs; (b) os MIs de acção, reflexão e protesto têm uma maior saliência no início do processo de psicoterapia; (c) a reconceptualização tende a emergir numa fase intermédia do processo e a aumentar até ao final; (d) o desempenho de mudança tende a emergir após a reconceptualização.…”