Effects of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Neurotic, Somatoform, and Personality Disorders: a Prospective 1-Year Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Time-limited psychodynamic therapies in an outpatient setting are offered for a broad spectrum of psychogenic disorders. Chiefly, meta-analyses have proved their effectiveness where neurotic disorders have been concerned. The Cyclic Maladaptive Pattern/Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (CMP/SASB) model (Tress et al., 1996) of short-term dynamic psychotherapy (STDP) in this study was applied to patients with somatoform and personality disorders. Using a naturalistic design, 41 therapists treated 75 patients with personality (n = 24), somatoform (n = 24), and neurotic (n = 27) disorders. Relevant research instruments were Beeinträchtigungsschwere Score (BSS; an impairment score), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), CMP, Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), and Intrex Introject Questionnaire based on the SASB. The treatments lasted for 25 sessions, and follow-up examinations were performed after 6 months and 1, 2, and 5 years. Effect sizes for the entire sample by BSS and GAF are reported. Somatoform patients benefited the most, but those with personality disorders also profited. Effect sizes of self-ratings (SCL-90-R and Intrex) were not as high. Thus, the CMP/SASB model of STDP is suited not only for neuroses but is especially appropriate for somatoform disorders as well.