Changes in symptom intensity and emotion valence during the process of assimilation of a problematic experience: A quantitative study of a good outcome case of cognitive-behavioral therapy. (4th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Basto, Isabel; Pinheiro, Patrícia; Stiles, William B.; Rijo, Daniel; Salgado, João
• Is Part Of: Psychotherapy research. Volume 27:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 437
• Page End: 449
• Publication Date: 2017-07-04
• Subjects: assimilation model -- change process -- cognitive-behavioral therapy -- depression -- symptom decrease -- emotional valence; modelo de assimilação -- processo de mudança -- terapia cognitivo-comportamental -- depressão -- diminuição de sintomas -- valência emocional; Assimilationsmodell -- Veränderungsprozess -- kognitive Verhaltenstherapie -- Depression -- Symptomabnahme -- emotionale Valenz; 同化模式 -- 改變歷程 -- 認知行為治療 -- 憂鬱症 -- 症狀減緩 -- 正負向情緒; modello di assimilazione -- processo di cambiamento -- terapia cognitivo-comportamentale -- depressione -- diminuzione del sintomo -- valenza emozionale; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Research -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychothérapie -- Périodiques; Psychothérapie -- Recherche -- Périodiques; 616.891405
• DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2015.1119325
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1050-3307

Abstract

Abstract: The assimilation model describes the change process in psychotherapy. In this study we analyzed the relation of assimilation with changes in symptom intensity, measured session by session, and changes in emotional valence, measured for each emotional episode, in the case of a 33-year-old woman treated for depression with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Results showed the theoretically expected negative relation between assimilation of the client's main concerns and symptom intensity, and the relation between assimilation levels and emotional valence corresponded closely to the assimilation model's theoretical feelings curve. The results show how emotions work as markers of the client's current assimilation level, which could help the therapist adjust the intervention, moment by moment, to the client's needs.