Krzysztof Małyszczak, Tomasz Pawłowski, Adrian Sieradzki, Krystian Pyszel, Przemysław Pacan, Andrzej Kiejna

The influence of psychodynamic psychotherapy on depressive symptoms

- a follow up study    59-63

Summary

Aim. Assessment of change in severity of depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms in patients with neurotic and personality disorders treated with psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Material and methods. From a total of 105 patients, 82 (78%) finished the study: 21 men and 61 women aged range from 19 to 67 years of age (mean 35.4 years old). Symptoms and diagnoses of the depressive episode (ICD-10) were assessed using the PSE (Present State Examination from SCAN 2.0) questionnaire before, just after, and 1 year after the 12-week psychotherapy in a day hospital ward. Statistical analyses were based on a cluster analysis and the k-means clustering method.

Results. 39 persons (48%) were diagnosed with a depressive episode before treatment. After treatment, 24 patients (29%) still fulfilled the criteria, and after next 12 months the number of diagnoses of depressive episode dropped to 10 (12%). 70% of the patients demonstrated marked decrease of depressive symptoms. 47 patients (57%) who had high initial rates of GAD symptoms demonstrated a marked drop of ratings.

Conclusion. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective in reducing depressive and GAD symptoms concomitant with neurotic and personality disorders.