Examining Psychotherapeutic Processes with Depressed Adolescents: A Comparative Study of Two Psychodynamic Therapies

Ana Calderon, Knut Arne Hooper Storeide, Cecilie Elvejord, Helene Amundsen Nissen-Lie, Randi Ulberg () and Hanne-Sofie Johnsen Dahl
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Ana Calderon: Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Gabriela Mistral, Santiago 7500533, Chile
Knut Arne Hooper Storeide: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3, 0370 Oslo, Norway
Cecilie Elvejord: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3, 0370 Oslo, Norway
Helene Amundsen Nissen-Lie: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3, 0370 Oslo, Norway
Randi Ulberg: Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
Hanne-Sofie Johnsen Dahl: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3, 0370 Oslo, Norway

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-20

Abstract: To understand processes associated with better or poorer psychotherapy outcomes is vital. This study examined and contrasted interaction patterns between one therapist and two depressed 17-year-old girls, Johanna (good outcome) and Sonja (poor outcome), in short-term psychoanalytic therapies selected from an RCT. Outcome data were collected regarding level of inter- and intra-personal functioning and symptoms of depression. Process data were obtained using the Adolescent Psychotherapy Q-Set on all available sessions. Analyses yielded five relational patterns or “interaction structures” in the two therapy processes; Three explained most of the variance in sessions with Johanna (i.e., ‘positive working alliance’, ‘therapist’s active use of psychodynamic techniques’, and ‘a receptive patient’) and two explained more of the variance in sessions with Sonja (i.e., ‘therapist using a more problem-solving and symptom-oriented approach’ and ‘patient displaying limited capacity for mentalization’). The processes in the two cases presented differences related to mentalization, psychological mindedness, and attachment style of the patients. The therapist used different therapeutic approaches, favouring more psychodynamic interventions in the good outcome case and a more problem-solving and symptom-oriented approach with the poor outcome case. In the latter case, the relationship seemed to be more of a struggle.

Keywords: adolescent; depression; Adolescent Psychotherapy Q-set (APQ); short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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