Abstract
Theoretical models of psychotherapy not only try to predict outcome but also intend to explain patterns of change. Studies showed that psychotherapeutic change processes are characterized by nonlinearity, complexity, and discontinuous transitions. By this, theoretical models of psychotherapy should be able to reproduce these dynamic features. Using time series derived from daily measures through internet-based real-time monitoring as empirical reference, we earlier presented a model of psychotherapy which includes five state variables and four trait variables. In mathematical terms, the traits modulate the shape of the functions which define the nonlinear interactions between the variables (states) of the model. The functions are integrated into five coupled nonlinear difference equations. In the present paper, we model how traits (dispositions or competencies of a person) can continuously be altered by new experiences and states (cognition, emotion, behavior). Adding equations that link states to traits, this model not only describes how therapeutic interventions modulate short-term change and fluctuations of psychological states, but also how these can influence traits. Speaking in terms of Synergetics (theory of self-organization in complex systems), the states correspond to the order parameters and the traits to the control parameters of the system. In terms of psychology, trait dynamics is driven by the states—i.e., by the concrete experiences of a client—and creates a process of personality development at a slower time scale than that of the state dynamics (separation of time scales between control and order parameter dynamics).
Highlights
There are some basic assumptions in psychotherapy which seem to be evident: psychotherapy is a process evolving in time and psychotherapy intends to change personality
Trait dynamics is driven by the states—i.e., by the concrete experiences of a client—and creates a process of personality development at a slower time scale than that of the state dynamics
The results we presented in previous publications focused on the dynamics of the model, e.g., nonlinear features and deterministic chaos, and on the dependency of the dynamic patterns on the parameters—which can be interpreted as traits (Schiepek et al 2016b, 2017), but did not consider the dynamic interaction between traits and states
Summary
There are some basic assumptions in psychotherapy which seem to be evident: psychotherapy is a process evolving in time and psychotherapy intends to change personality. This is a bidimensional variable representing dysphoric emotions (e.g., anxiety, grief, shame, guilt, and anger) at the upper end of the dimension (positive values of E) and positive emotional experiences (e.g., joy, self-esteem, happiness) at the lower end (negative values of E) This definition of polarity is based upon the results of a factor analysis of the Therapy Process Questionnaire (TPQ, Haken and Schiepek 2010), which is used to generate the empirical data for model testing. Emotions E depend on therapeutic success S (Fig. 2, bottom left), i.e., the experience of negative emotions like fear, grief, shame, or anger are reduced or are inversely related to feelings of progress and being successful in solving personal problems, with a saturation effect for extreme values of S. The functions are added to five coupled nonlinear equations, one for each variable, determining the dynamical system: EðE; I; P; S; c; r; mÞ
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
