The role of emotion in psychotherapeutic change for medically unexplained symptoms

Joel M. Town, Victoria Lomax, Allan A. Abbass, Gillian Hardy

Producción científica: Contribución a una revistaArtículorevisión exhaustiva

23 Citas (Scopus)

Resumen

Objectives: Evidence of the contribution of emotional processes to the emergence, maintenance, and experience of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) suggests that clinical approaches which target these processes could be beneficial. In this study, qualitative methods were used to examine patients’ perspectives and subjective experiences of emotional processes in the context of a psychotherapy assessment and treatment service for MUS provided in a hospital emergency department (ED). Methods: Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with ED patients presenting with MUS who received a course of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy treatment. Results: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed with three superordinate themes emerging: Barriers to examining emotional processes; reflections on the therapeutic process; psychological change; and improved well-being. Obstacles to clinical engagement in treatment for MUS were described in relation to patients’ and therapists’ ability to identify, address, and utilize emotion processes. Specific elements of this work were identified as integral components of the psychotherapy change process for MUS. Conclusions: Directly observing the physical effects of emotional experiencing in MUS provides sensory evidence that can enable patients to make mind–body connections. Psycho-emotional processes warrant further study to explore the applicability to other conceptual models for assessing and treating MUS.

Idioma originalEnglish
Páginas (desde-hasta)86-98
Número de páginas13
PublicaciónPsychotherapy Research
Volumen29
N.º1
DOI
EstadoPublished - ene. 2 2019

Nota bibliográfica

Funding Information:
The implementation of this research was supported by Dalhousie University Department of Psychiatry and Nova Scotia Health Authority. Dr. Joel Town was also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied health research and Care South West Peninsula. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. The authors thank all of the participants in the study.

Funding Information:
The implementation of this research was supported by Dalhousie University Department of Psychiatry and Nova Scotia Health Authority. Dr. Joel Town was also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied health research and Care South West Peninsula. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © 2017 Society for Psychotherapy Research.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Clinical Psychology

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