Applying clinical and empirical approaches in research on psychic change in long-term treatments

LÓPEZ MORENO, CLARA; DORFMAN LERNER, BEATRIZ; VERNENGO, MARÍA PÍA; ACOSTA, SILVIA; ROUSSOS, ANDRES; SCHALLAYEFF, CRISTINA

IPA An Open Door Review of Outcome Studies in Psychoanalysis. Second Revised Edition

International Psychoanalytic Association

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2002; p. 249 - 251

The aim of this research is to detect indicators of change in the therapeutic process of a psychoanalytic psychotherapy. To this end the results of a two year treatment of six patients are compared using clinical and empirical methods. This is an ongoing report. A single case two-year treatment with all the techniques applied was presented in the second L.A.R.C. held in Gramado (Brazil) in September 2000. This project studies the long-term treatments, that is, at least two years in length, of six patients selected from applications submitted to Centro Racker of Asociacion Psicoanalitica Argentina by the general public demanding therapy. It should be underscored that this is the first investigation done in the Argentine Psychoanalytic Association (Centro Racker) with the written consent of patients who accepted to be tape-recorded all along their treatments and it is the first data base of complete long term ongoing tape-recorded treatments. A secondary aim of the research is to create a text bank in Spanish language and to this purpose contact with other Spanish speaking centers. One of the subprojects of this study is related to the elaboration of a protocol, the Differential Elements for a Psychodynamic Diagnostic (DEPD). This protocol aims to operationalize a patient psychodynamic diagnosis and standardize the information that comes out during the supervision. The protocol has two parts: the first is centered on the diagnosis and prognosis of the patient made by supervisor and supervisee. The second part is focused on the dynamic between patienttherapist, therapist-supervisor and an evaluation of the supervision itself.