ABSTRACT
Emotional arousal is a key concept in most theories of change. To be able to understand the role of emotional expression better, two treatments, cognitive therapy (CT) and focused expressive psychotherapy (FEP; a manualized form of Gestalt therapy), with opposite process assumptions about the expression of emotions were compared. Additionally vicarious emotional experience in the sense of an underlying emotional contagion was examined. Clients suffering from major depression were rated for the expression of emotion in three randomly selected sessions of a 20-session treatment course. While the types of emotions generally experienced by CT clients and FEP clients did not differ significantly, differences in the subgroups of active and observing-group members were found. This indicated that the process assumptions made by the respective treatments were only valid for the actively participating clients and not for the observing group members. Emotional contagion as a process was not supported.
Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder/therapy , Expressed Emotion , Psychotherapy, Group , Psychotherapy , Adult , Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Focused Expressive Psychotherapy is a Gestalt-based method of psychotherapy which is designed to facilitate the resolution of constricted emotion in patients. This form of therapy is described as a five-step process. The present article addresses the steps of that process which relate specifically to the intensification and resolution of emotions. The importance and rationale for intensification are discussed and related to the concept of restructured schematic memories. Markers of resolution are identified as changes in 'benchmarks', changes in patient behaviour or attitude, and/or a reevaluated stance towards past events. We conclude by citing one of our recent research efforts that demonstrates a relationship between the intensification of emotion and positive therapy outcome.
Subject(s)
Affect , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Gestalt Therapy/methods , Adaptation, Psychological , Humans , Psychophysiologic Disorders/etiology , Reference Standards , Repression, Psychology , Role Playing , Social Adjustment , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Group cognitive therapy (CT), focused expressive psychotherapy (FEP; a form of group experiential psychotherapy), and supportive, self-directed therapy (S/SD) were compared among 63 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Variation among patients' coping styles (externalization) and defensiveness (resistance potential) was used in a prospective test of hypothesized differential treatment-patient interactions. Results suggest that patient characteristics can be used differentially to assign psychotherapy types. Externalizing depressed patients improved more than nonexternalizing depressed patients in CT, whereas nonexternalizing (internalizing) patients improved most in S/SD. Conversely, high defensive (resistant) patients improved more in S/SD than in either FEP or CT, whereas low defensive patients improved more in CT than in S/SD.
