title: A dynamic systems approach to psychotherapy: A meta-theoretical framework for explaining psychotherapy change processes.
abstract: Notwithstanding the many methodological advances made in the field of psychotherapy research, at present a metatheoretical, school-independent framework to explain psychotherapy change processes taking into account their dynamic and complex nature is still lacking. Over the last years, several authors have suggested that a dynamic systems (DS) approach might provide such a framework. In the present paper, we review the main characteristics of a DS approach to psychotherapy. After an overview of the general principles of the DS approach, we describe the extent to which psychotherapy can be considered as a self-organizing open complex system, whose developmental change processes are described in terms of a dialectic dynamics between stability and change over time. Empirical evidence in support of this conceptualization is provided and discussed. Finally, we propose a research design strategy for the empirical investigation of psychotherapy from a DS approach, together with a research case example. We conclude that a DS approach may provide a metatheoretical, school-independent framework allowing us to constructively rethink and enhance the way we conceptualize and empirically investigate psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of History, Social Sciences, and Human Studies, University of Salento.
authors.forename: Omar Carlo Gioacchino
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2480-046X
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Gelo
authors.affiliation: Department of History, Social Sciences, and Human Studies, University of Salento.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvatore
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D013811:Psychotherapeutic Processes; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012106:Research; D013597:Systems Analysis