Abstract
The potential of Oxytocin (OT) as a facilitator of psychotherapy has been previously acknowledged, nonetheless, randomized controlled trials thus far have not yielded conclusive results. One approach suggested to clarify empirical inconsistencies is to refine the study hypotheses and data collection process by utilizing an in-depth idiographic exploration of the investigated phenomena. In this case illustration we provide an in-depth analysis comparing two patients hospitalized in a closed psychiatric ward with depression and undergoing psychotherapy twice a week. These two patients were randomly allocated to receive either OT or placebo, twice a day for a period of 4 weeks. Both patients completed longitudinal assessments of process and outcome measures, and therapists' clinical notes were extracted and reviewed. Reliable clinical change was calculated for all outcome and process measures. The results indicated that the patient receiving OT showed significant improvement in interpersonal distress, as well as in anxiety and depression symptoms, while the placebo patient showed no significant change during the study period. Furthermore, while both patients showed no significant changes in the therapeutic alliance ratings, the therapist of the OT patient regularly reported positive changes in alliance in the medical notes, while no such report was observed in the placebo patient. These results suggest that changes produced by OT administration may be more noticeable by the therapist. Implications for future studies aimed at assessing the effect of OT on psychotherapy process and outcome are discussed.
Highlights
Scholars have previously suggested that pharmacological aids such as oxytocin may be beneficial for the facilitation of psychotherapy [1]
This study was aimed to explore the effect of OT administration on psychotherapy processes and outcomes using a case study methodology
The results indicated that Patient 1 (OT) showed improvements in anxiety and depression, and a decrease in interpersonal distress, during the course of 1-month of intervention
Summary
Scholars have previously suggested that pharmacological aids such as oxytocin may be beneficial for the facilitation of psychotherapy [1]. PTSD patients were randomly assigned to receive either OT or placebo prior to a weekly prolonged exposure therapy session, and found no statistically significant differences in depression, PTSD symptoms or alliance scores over the course of a 10-week treatment protocol [8] These studies utilized different methodological approaches, these differing results suggest that further clarification of the effect of OT on psychotherapy process and outcome is needed. After Patient (OT) was recruited into the study, the therapist made the following observations in the clinical notes: “the patient was very communicative and pleasant”; “the patient was more expressive and his affect display was broader than usual”; “he seemed more present and engaged in what was said in the session.”.
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