Mechanical Ventilation

The therapeutic alliance has been found to predict psychotherapy outcome in numerous studies. However, critics maintain that the therapeutic alliance is a by-product of prior symptomatic improvements. Moreover, almost all alliance research to date has used differences between patients in alliance as predictor of outcome, and results of such analyses do not necessarily mean that improving the alliance with a given patient will improve outcome (i.e., a within-patient effect). In a sample of 646 patients (76% women, 24% men) in primary care psychotherapy, the effect of working alliance on next session symptom level was analyzed using multilevel models. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure was used to measure symptom level, and the patient version of the Working Alliance Inventory–Short form revised (Hatcher & Gillaspy, 2006) was used to measure alliance. There was evidence for a reciprocal causal model, in which the alliance predicted subsequent change in symptoms while prior symptom change also affected the alliance. The alliance effect varied considerably between patients. This variation was partially explained by patients with personality problems showing stronger alliance effect. These results indicate that the alliance is not just a by-product of prior symptomatic improvements, even though improvement in symptoms is likely to enhance the alliance. Results also point to the importance of therapists paying attention to ruptures and repair of the therapy alliance. Generalization of results may be limited to relatively brief primary care psychotherapy

Utrivning av dammar kan ge rättsliga konsekvenser

Sverige står i dagsläget inför en större våg av troliga dammutrivningar. Vi vill med denna artikel visa på de fastighetsrättsliga konsekvenserna vid utrivningen av dammar, något som inte uppmärksammats i den miljörättsliga debatten

Routine outcome measurement in adolescents seeking mental health services: standardization of HoNOSCA in Kenyan sample

Abstract: Background The evaluation of treatment outcomes is important for service providers to assess if there is improvement or not. The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) was developed for this use in child and adolescent mental health services. Outcome measurement in routine mental health services is limited. This paper evaluates the psychometric properties of the self and clinician rated versions of the HoNOSCA for routine use in child and adolescent mental health services in Kenya. Methods Using a prospective design, the clinician- and self-rated versions of the HoNOSCA and the Paediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) were administered at the Youth Centre at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. Initial ratings were obtained from adolescents 12-17 years (n = 201). A sample of 98 paired ratings with 2 follow-ups were examined for measurement of change over time. Results Our findings showed good reliability with the self-rated version of the HoNOSCA score, correlating well with the self-reported version of the PSC (r = .74, p \u3c .001). Both versions correlated well at follow-up and were sensitive to change. Using factor analysis, the maximum likelihood factoring and Promax rotation resulted in a four-factor structure, which with a Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy of 0.8 explained 54.74% of total variance. Conclusion The HoNOSCA appears to be of value, and easy to use in routine settings. Our findings suggest further investigation with a larger sample

The Effect of Patient’s Choice of Cognitive Behavioural or Psychodynamic Therapy on Outcomes for Panic Disorder: A Doubly Randomised Controlled Preference Trial

Introduction: It remains unclear whether offering psychiatric patients their preferred treatment influences outcomes at the symptom level. Objective: To assess whether offering patients with Panic Disorder with/without Agoraphobia (PD/A) a choice between two psychotherapies yields superior outcomes to random assignment. Methods: In a doubly randomised, controlled preference trial (DRCPT), 221 adults with PD/A were randomly assigned to: choosing Panic-Focused Psychodynamic Therapy (PFPP) or Panic Control Treatment (PCT; a form of CBT); random assignment to PFPP or PCT; or wait-list control. Primaryoutcomes were PD/A severity, work status and absences at post-treatment. Outcomes at posttreatment, 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-ups were assessed using segmented multilevel linear growth models. Results: At post-treatment, the choice and random conditions were superior to the control for panicseverity but not work status/absences. The choice and random conditions did not differ during treatment or follow-up for the primary outcomes. For panic severity, PCT was superior to PFPP during treatment (SMD = -0.64; 95% CI = -1.02 to -0.25); PFPP was superior to PCT during follow-up (SMD = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.98). There was no allocation by treatment type interaction (SMD = -0.57; 95% CI = -1.31 to 0.17). Conclusions: Previous studies have found that offering patients their preferred treatment yields small to moderate effects but have not employed designs that could rigorously test preference effects. Inthis first DRCPT of two evidenced-based psychotherapies, allowing patients with PD/A to choose their preferred treatment was not associated with improved outcomes. Further DRCPTs are needed

Therapist-guided internet-based psychodynamic therapy versus cognitive behavioural therapy for adolescent depression in Sweden: a randomised, clinical, non-inferiority trial

BACKGROUND: Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent and associated with lifelong adversity. Evidence-based treatments exist, but accessible treatment alternatives are needed. We aimed to compare internet-based psychodynamic therapy (IPDT) with an established evidence-based treatment (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy [ICBT]) for the treatment of adolescents with depression. METHODS: In this randomised, clinical trial, we tested whether IPDT was non-inferior to ICBT in the treatment of adolescent MDD. Eligible participants were 15-19 years old, presenting with a primary diagnosis of MDD according to DSM-5. Participants were recruited nationwide in Sweden through advertisements on social media, as well as contacts with junior and senior high schools, youth associations, social workers, and health-care providers. Adolescents who scored 9 or higher on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology for Adolescents (QIDS-A17-SR) in an initial online screening were contacted by telephone for a diagnostic assessment using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Participants were randomly assigned to ICBT or IPDT. Both interventions comprised eight self-help modules delivered over 10 weeks on a secure online platform. The primary outcome was change in depression severity measured weekly by the QIDS-A17-SR. Primary analyses were based on an intention-to-treat sample including all participants randomly assigned. A non-inferiority margin of Cohen's d=0·30 was predefined. The study is registered at ISRCTN, ISRCTN12552584. FINDINGS: Between Aug 19, 2019, and Oct 7, 2020, 996 young people completed screening; 516 (52%) were contacted for a diagnostic interview. 272 participants were eligible and randomly assigned to ICBT (n=136) or IPDT (n=136). In the ICBT group, 51 (38%) of 136 participants were classified as remitted, and 54 (40%) of 136 participants were classified as remitted in the IPDT group. Within-group effects were large (ICBT: within-group d=1·75, 95% CI 1·49 to 2·01; IPDT: within-group d=1·93, 1·67 to 2·20; both p<0·0001). No statistically significant treatment difference was found in the intention-to-treat analysis. Non-inferiority for IPDT was shown for the estimated change in depression during treatment (d=-0·18, 90% CI -0·49 to 0·13; p=0·34). All secondary outcomes showed non-significant between-group differences. INTERPRETATION: IPDT was non-inferior to ICBT in terms of change in depression for the treatment of adolescents with MDD. This finding increases the range of accessible and effective treatment alternatives for adolescents with depression. FUNDING: Kavli trust

Burnout among psychotherapists: a cross-cultural value survey among 12 European countries during the coronavirus disease pandemic.

The aim of this study was to examine cross-cultural differences, as operationalized by Schwartz's refined theory of basic values, in burnout levels among psychotherapists from 12 European countries during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We focused on the multilevel approach to investigate if individual- and country-aggregated level values could explain differences in burnout intensity after controlling for sociodemographic, work-related characteristics and COVID-19-related distress among participants. 2915 psychotherapists from 12 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Great Britain, Serbia, Spain, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland) participated in this study. The participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey, the revised version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire, and a survey questionnaire on sociodemographic, work-related factors and the COVID-19 related distress. In general, the lowest mean level of burnout was noted for Romania, whereas the highest mean burnout intensity was reported for Cyprus. Multilevel analysis revealed that burnout at the individual level was negatively related to self-transcendence and openness-to-change but positively related to self-enhancement and conservation values. However, no significant effects on any values were observed at the country level. Male sex, younger age, being single, and reporting higher COVID-19-related distress were significant burnout correlates. Burnout among psychotherapists may be a transcultural phenomenon, where individual differences among psychotherapists are likely to be more important than differences between the countries of their practice. This finding enriches the discussion on training in psychotherapy in an international context and draws attention to the neglected issue of mental health among psychotherapists in the context of their professional functioning

Förmågan till Självobservation i Psykoterapi

The phenomena of self-awareness and self-observation are thought by many to be uniquely human qualities, and questions about how they develop have engaged philosophers and spiritual thinkers throughout history. More recently these issues have come to interest psychologists, psychotherapists, and researchers of diverse clinical psychology orientations as well. This dissertation explored conceptual issues and empirical measurement methods related to self-awareness and self-observation capacities. The four studies approached this from different angles: Study I used mainly qualitative methods to study post-treatment processes related to continuing clinical improvement after termination of long-term psychotherapeutic treatments. The main finding was that self-analysis seemed to be related to continued improvement after ending of therapy, but contrary to our hypothesis there was no difference between psychotherapy and the more intensive psychoanalysis in this regard. Study II tested the measurement of mindfulness by self report in a sample of experienced Buddhist meditators. The findings confirmed relationships between mindfulness and psychological well-being, but raised doubt about the instruments’ sensitivity to change. Study III compared different methods for measuring theoretically related concepts of self-observation: mindfulness, mentalization, and affect consciousness. This study showed surprisingly little common variance between affect consciousness and mentalization/mindfulness. Finally, the results of Study IV showed that in patients diagnosed with clinical depression, mentalization about depressive symptoms predicted aspects of the initial psychotherapy process better than mentalization about attachment. Taken together, these studies show the complexity of the phenomenon of self-observation and the corresponding complexity of research on it. The relationships between variables related to self-observation, their measurements, and their relationships to the psychotherapy process seem more complex than would be expected from current theories. A model for types of self-observation in the process of change in psychotherapy is tentatively proposed.Förmågan till självmedvetande och självobservation brukar sägas vara unik för människan, och frågor om hur den uppstår och utvecklas har engagerat filosofer och andliga tänkare genom historien. Under de senaste årtiondena har detta även kommit att intressera psykologer, psykoterapeuter och forskare inom olika kliniska psykologiinriktningar. I denna avhandling utforskades konceptuella frågor och empiriska mätmetoder relaterade till självobservationsförmåga. De fyra studierna tog sig an detta från olika utgångspunkter: I Studie I användes främst kvalitativ metod för att undersöka processer relaterade till fortsatt klinisk förbättring efter avslutning av längre psykoterapeutisk behandling. Beskrivningar av självanalys var relaterade till fortsatt förbättring efter avslutad terapi, men i kontrast till vår hypotes syntes ingen skillnad mellan psykoterapi och den mer intensiva psykoanalysen ur denna aspekt. I Studie II prövades mätning av medveten närvaro (mindfulness) genom självrapport på ett urval erfarna Buddhistiska meditatörer. Resultaten bekräftade samband mellan medveten närvaro och psykologiskt välmående, men visade på osäkerhet kring instrumentens känslighet för förändring. I Studie III jämfördes olika metoder för mätning av teoretiskt relaterade självobservationsbegrepp: medveten närvaro, mentalisering och affektmedvetenhet. Resultaten visade på förvånansvärt liten gemensam varians mellan affektmedvetenhet och mentalisering/medveten närvaro. Slutligen visade resultaten i Studie IV att hos patienter diagnostiserade med klinisk depression predicerade mentalisering om depressiva symptom aspekter av den initiala psykoterapiprocessen bättre än det vanliga måttet på mentalisering utifrån anknytningsintervju. Sammantaget visar dessa studier på komplexiteten i fenomenet självobservationsförmåga och dess utforskande. Relationerna mellan variabler relaterade till självobservation, mätning av dem och samband med psykoterapiprocessen tycks mer komplexa än förväntat utifrån nuvarande teorier. En tentativ modell för samband mellan typer av självobservation i den psykoterapeutiska förändringsprocessen presenteras