Tracking Psychodynamic Foci: Trajectories Through the Therapeutic Process

Paula Dagnino*, Ana Calderón

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy has gained importance in current clinical practice. To achieve brevity, a focus must be established and worked through. Different conceptualizations have emphasized the relational patterns and/or conflict foci as central but adopting a mono-schematic approach. However, patients come to treatment with more than one issue that must be addressed. Thus, another focus must be included because of its relevance, i.e., personality functioning. The aims of this study were to identify the presence and depth level of three foci (relational pattern, conflict, and personality functioning) in episodes of change throughout the process, and to evaluate the relationship of each focus with the complexity of patients’ change. Initial OPD foci and the presence and depth of each were evaluated in 13 successful brief psychodynamic therapies. Change episodes of those therapies were analyzed as well. Results showed differences between foci in the initial phase with a higher presence of conflict focus. Throughout the process, only the presence and level of personality functioning improved. Also, complexity of patients’ change was related to conflict focus, specifically on the emergence of competence feelings. The results provide evidence and enrich process research of brief psychodynamic therapies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number786240
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Volume13
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded by IPA, MIDAP, Cipsi, and USS. The funding institutions were not involved in data collection, analysis, interpretation of the data, and writing the report or the decision to submit this article.

Funding Information:
We would like to express our gratitude to the participants (patients and therapists) that took part of this study and to the raters and judges. We would like to thank Guillermo de la Parra, Andrea Jaramillo, and Alemka Tomicic for their contributions to the first studies and drafts. Also, to the International Psychoanalytic Association, IPA, for its funding with a research grant (IPA project number 042). To the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness (FIC) from the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, the ANID Millennium Science Initiative/Millennium Institute for Research on Depression and Personality-MIDAP ICS13_005, the Center of Psychotherapy Research (Cipsi) and Universidad San Sebastián, sede Santiago (USS).

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Dagnino and Calderón.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Psychology

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