First Experimental Study of Transference-Interpretations (FEST)

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
Analysis of the ongoing patient-therapist interaction, the transference, is considered a key active ingredient in psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.However, one century after Sigmund Freuds's famous Dora case, the first clinical description of transference, no study of transference interpretations have been published.In the present study 100 out-patients were randomized to receive one year weekly dynamic psychotherapy, with and without transference interpretations. That is, one treatment component,transference interpretations, were added to a comparison condition, therapy of the same format, by the same therapists, but without use of transference interpretation. All treatment session were audiotaped, and treatment integrity have been carefully checked. Patients were evaluated at treatment termination, one year after treatment termination and three years after treatment termination. Enrollment of patients started january 1993, and all follow-up evaluations completed by December 2005.

Detailed Description
-----------------
This study is designed to measure specific long-term effects of transference interpretations in dynamic psychotherapy, using an experimental dismantling design. One hundred psychiatric out-patients, referred to seven study therapists, to receive exploratory dynamic psychotherapy, were randomized to one year weekly dynamic psychotherapy, with and without transference interpretations.They suffered from mood,anxiety,and personality disorders or interpersonal problems not due to a mental disorder. All treatment sessions were audiotaped and treatment integrity carefully checked.All patients have been evaluated before treatment, after treatment, one year after termination of treatment, and three years after termination of treatment. The main outcome measures were the Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS) and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex version (IIP-C).Chang over time is assessed using linear mixed model analyses. The main hypothesis is that patients treated with transference interpretations will have a more favourable course over the whole study period of four years. The second hypothesis is that suitable patients, that is patients with a life long pattern of more mature object relations (QOR) and/or patients without comorbid personality disorders will do better with transference interpretations. Insight and identification with the therapist will be analyzed as putative mediators of long-term change in interpersonal functioning

Official Title
-----------------
First Experimental Study of Transference Interpretations (FEST)

Conditions
-----------------
Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Brief dynamic psychotherapy


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Age 20 - 60 years Diagnoses Mood-disorder, non-psychotic Anxiety disorders Personality disorders Interpersonal problems not due to a mental disorder Exclusion Criteria: Psychotic disorders Bipolar disorder Organic brain disorder Substance abuse Long-term (years) disability Mental retardation

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 20 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Behavioral: Brief dynamic psychotherapy|nan|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS), clinician rated |  |  | 
| Inventory if Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex version (IIP-C), self-report |  |  | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) |  |  | 
| Global Severity Index (GSI) from SCL-90-R |  |  | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Psychotherapy, Long-term effects