title: Changes in symptom intensity and emotion valence during the process of assimilation of a problematic experience: A quantitative study of a good outcome case of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
abstract: The assimilation model describes the change process in psychotherapy. In this study we analyzed the relation of assimilation with changes in symptom intensity, measured session by session, and changes in emotional valence, measured for each emotional episode, in the case of a 33-year-old woman treated for depression with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Results showed the theoretically expected negative relation between assimilation of the client's main concerns and symptom intensity, and the relation between assimilation levels and emotional valence corresponded closely to the assimilation model's theoretical feelings curve. The results show how emotions work as markers of the client's current assimilation level, which could help the therapist adjust the intervention, moment by moment, to the client's needs.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences , University of Coimbra , Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Basto
authors.affiliation: b School of Psychology , University of Minho , Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga , Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , Miami University , Ohio , USA.|d Department of Psychology , Appalachian State University , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Stiles
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences , University of Coimbra , Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rijo
authors.affiliation: e Maia University Institute , Av. Carlos Oliveira Campos-Castelo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia , Portugal.
authors.forename: João
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0822-9267
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salgado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care
keywords: assimilation model; change process; cognitive-behavioral therapy; depression; emotional valence; symptom decrease