Patterns of inner change and their relation with patient characteristics and outcome in a psychoanalytic hospitalization-based treatment for personality disordered patients.
This study investigated whether different clusters of patients with personality disorders in a psychoanalytic hospitalization-based treatment were associated with: (a) different changes in personality organization (PO); (b) different pre-treatment variables; and (c) different associations between changes in PO and outcome. K-means clustering analysis identified two clusters of patients, which showed different changes in PO and mainly differed in terms of levels of anaclitic and introjective personality features, respectively. Both clusters showed a significant decrease in symptoms and an improvement in personality functioning during treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Vermote
Rudi
R
University Psychiatric Centre, University of Leuven, Campus Kortenberg, Belgium. rudi.vermote@uc-kortenberg.be
Lowyck
Benedicte
B
Luyten
Patrick
P
Verhaest
Yannic
Y
Vertommen
Hans
H
Vandeneede
Bart
B
Corveleyn
Jozef
J
Peuskens
Jozef
J
D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome