title: The patient-therapist interaction and the recognition of affects during the process of psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression.
abstract: The perceptions of patients (n = 25) and their therapists about psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression were assessed during the first treatment year using 23 scales. Patients and therapists independently evaluated the impact of depression on the therapeutic experience of the patients. The estimations of the impact of depression by the patients and therapists were concordant in the majority of the subjects, reflecting mutual tuning and a working alliance. The roles of affects and frustrating subjects in the treatment relationship were evaluated as significantly different by the patients and the therapists. The results highlight the importance of working on the expression of affects in the psychotherapy of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, 70210 Kuopio, Finland. pasi.ahola@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Pasi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ahola
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valkonen-Korhonen
authors.forename: Tommi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tolmunen
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joensuu
authors.forename: Soili M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lehto
authors.forename: Pirjo I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Saarinen
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehtonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult