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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Affective Disorder | Research article

How do adolescents with depression experience improvement in psychodynamic psychotherapy? A qualitative study

Authors: André Løvgren, Jan Ivar Røssberg, Liv Nilsen, Eivind Engebretsen, Randi Ulberg

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

There is emerging evidence for the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy for depressive disorders. However, we know less of how this relation-focused therapy mode is experienced and what the patients themselves identify as helpful. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore adolescents’ experiences of factors promoting improvement in psychodynamic therapy.

Methods

Eight female patients participating in a Norwegian study on psychodynamic therapy, the First Experimental Study of Transference Work – In Teenagers (FEST-IT), were included. The participants were offered a total number of 28 sessions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews about experiences with therapy were then conducted and analysed with systematic text condensation and hermeneutic interpretation.

Results

The analysis revealed four main themes. ‘Exploring oneself’ comprises autonomy and acknowledgment, openness, insight and acceptance of oneself. ‘Therapist relation and characteristics’ includes confidence and trust in and support from the therapist as well as having a trustworthy and experienced therapist. ‘Focusing on everyday life’ includes learning and practical orientation. ‘Time factors’ refers to duration and frequency.

Conclusions

Together with a supportive and listening therapist, the adolescents improve by exploring themselves within the frames of a time-limited treatment period. Improvement seems to be experienced through better relations to oneself and to others and by finding one’s place in the family, or at school. Adolescents value problem solving and help with concrete challenges. Hence, therapy should be tailored to the needs of adolescents with depression and incorporate the challenges they face in their everyday life.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.​gov. Id: NCT01531101. Date of registry: 8 February 2012, retrospectively registered.
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Metadata
Title
How do adolescents with depression experience improvement in psychodynamic psychotherapy? A qualitative study
Authors
André Løvgren
Jan Ivar Røssberg
Liv Nilsen
Eivind Engebretsen
Randi Ulberg
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-019-2080-0

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