[Defense mechanisms as outcome measure in short-term psychotherapy related to symptoms, severity and overall functioning: a preliminary study]. / I meccanismi di difesa come misura dell'outcome in psicoterapia breve in relazione ai sintomi, alla gravità clinica e al funzionamento globale: uno studio preliminare.

UNLABELLED: The assessment of defense mechanisms in psychotherapy is currently one of the most used ways to evaluate the effectiveness of psychotherapy. In literature there are few reports on defense mechanisms changes by short-term treatments. AIM: To determine whether the defense mechanisms are changed after twelve sessions of short-term psychotherapy related to psychopathological symptoms, severity and overall functioning. METHODS: Twenty patients (12 F and 8 M; age 38.4) affected by anxiety and mood disorders were recruited to the study between November 2008 and July 2009 and were assessed with the Defense Style Questionnaire-88 (DSQ-88), scale Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), scale Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and scale Valutazione Globale del Funzionamento (VGF) at the beginning and after short-term psychotherapy. Half the sample also assumed drugs. The treatment was supportive-expressive psychotherapy of Luborsky, a short focal dynamic therapy, characterized by the integration of supportive and expressive techniques. RESULTS: Both patients showed a significant decrease in immature defenses and a significant-increase in mature defenses (p < 0.01). Mature defenses were significantly correlated with severity (r = -0632; p = 0.003) and overall functioning (r = 0529; p = 0.01). DISCUSSION: Immature and mature defenses seem to be a useful outcome measure in short-term psychotherapy as well as severity and overall functioning and the combined treatment may be most effective in reducing immature defenses.

[Categorical and dimensional diagnosis in schizoid and narcissistic personality disorders: critical interpretation of literature cases]. / Diagnosi categoriale e dimensionale nei disturbi di personalità schizoide e narcisistico: interpretazione critica di casi letterari.

In the general reflection inherent categorical and dimensional diagnosis and the opportunity to put neurotic and psychotic personality in the various chapters of the discipline, a never-ending discussion on the similarities and differences between clinical pictures classified in separate entries (think of the comings and goings from one cluster to another between schizoid and avoidant personality disorder). Other cogent discussion focused on the nosographical criteria, targeted to a modified classification that takes into account dimensional rather than descriptive criteria. About personality disorders think of the debate on their degree of severity, as assessed by criteria such dissimilar from various authors, as to be very different in this sense a ranking according to the variables considered (eg, classifications by Kernberg and Millon). As an established tradition that a contribution to psychological studies derives also from the literary and artistic forms in general, we propose, through the interpretation of literary cases, the dimensional affinity between schizoid and narcissistic disorders. The dimensions taken into account are those of affectivity and intersubjectivity, impaired in both disorders.