Introduction: The intersubjective relationship in the therapy room has been described as a factor for change. Therapist – patient interplay creates new understanding for both of them. The purpose was to explore psychodynamic psychotherapists' experiences of talking with patients about the therapeutic relationship from a here and now - perspective.

Questions: What do psychotherapists´ experiences of relational work in therapy look like?

What aspects are described as important for psychotherapists when focusing on the patient - therapist relationship?

Method: Semistructured interviews with five psychotherapists. Thematic method was used when analyzing the material.

Results: Relational work meant experiences of self-disclosure, discovering therapeutic style and describing the relationship in words. Conversation about the mutual relationship was described as challenging. Finding a mutual rythm with the patient and altering between participatory and observational therapist positions was emphasized as important. Relational work led to unique encounters and a chance to marvel at human and interplay complexity.

Discussion: There was a willingness to share in relation with the patient, but difficulties arose. Possibilities of relational work outweighed risks, and it was described as demanding. Professional and relational credibility emerged as important aspects for the participants when focusing on the patient - therapist relationship.

Introduction: In 1912, Sigmund Freud first mentions in published form the principle of psychoanalytic listening with the concept ofEvenly Hovering Attention(EHA) (1912/2002). The term has been frequently referenced in publications on psychoanalysis and psychotherapy since Freud coined it. 

Research questions: The purpose of this study is to give meaning to and understand more about Freud's concepts and how psychodynamic psychotherapists, based on Freud's groundrule, listen clinically today. 

Method:Through interviews with five psychotherapists the clinical relevance and applicableness of the concept is sought. The interviews are analyzed according to a combined deductive and inductive Thematic Analysis. 

Results:The results show that evenly hovering attentive listening consists of a historizing positioning in relation to thestory. Listening as readingconsists of attention aftervocalizing aspects of human experiences beyond language. Listening in the form of conversationis characterized by co-listening. 

Discussion:The analysis shows the therapists' perception of the applicableness of EHAtaking into account the reference value of the term. The therapists' view of its clinical relevance is discussed based on available research results from studies of empathetic understanding and clinical listening in psychotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a 6-week smartphone compassion training intervention on mental health.

METHOD: Fifty-seven Swedish university students (mean age = 25, SD = 5) reporting high levels of stress were randomized to compassion training (n = 23), mindfulness (n = 19), or waitlist (n = 15).

RESULT: Multilevel models indicated that both compassion and mindfulness training increased self-compassion compared to the waitlist, while only compassion significantly reduced stress. Between-group effect sizes for compassion compared to waitlist were large for both self-compassion (d = 1.61) and stress (d = 0.94). Compassion and mindfulness did not differ significantly, but effect sizes were in favor of compassion. Secondary outcomes indicated positive effects on emotional awareness, while no effect was found for global psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that compassion training via a smartphone application can improve self-compassion and reduce stress among university students. Future studies in larger clinical samples are warranted.

Stress and mental ill-health carry considerable costs for both individuals and organizations. Although interventions targeting compassion and self-compassion have been shown to reduce stress and benefit mental health, related research in organizational settings is limited. We investigated the effects of a 6-week psychological intervention utilizing compassion training on stress, mental health, and self-compassion. Forty-nine employees of two organizations were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 25) or a physical exercise control condition (n = 24). Multilevel growth models showed that stress (p = 0.04) and mental ill-health (p = 0.02) decreased over 3 months in both groups (pre-intervention to follow-up: Cohen's d = -0.46 and d = 0.33, respectively), while self-compassion only increased in the intervention group (p = 0.03, between group d = 0.53). There were no significant effects on life satisfaction in any of the groups (p > 0.53). The findings show promising results regarding the ability of compassion training within organizations to decrease stress and mental ill-health and increase self-compassion.

Objective: Benevolence is an emerging concept in motivation theory and research as well as in on pro-social behavior, which has stimulated increasing interest in studying factors that impair or facilitate benevolence and effects thereof. This exploratory study examines the associations between benevolence, stress, mental health, self-compassion, and satisfaction with life in two workplace samples.

Methods: In the first study n = 522 (38% = female, median age = 42) participants answered questionnaires regarding self-reported stress symptoms (i.e., emotional exhaustion), depressive symptoms and benevolence. In the second study n = 49 (female = 96%) participants answered questionnaires regarding perceived stress, self-compassion, anxiety, depression symptoms, and benevolence.

Results: In study 1, measures of emotional exhaustion (r = -0.295) and depression (r = -0.190) were significantly negatively correlated with benevolence. In study 2, benevolence was significantly negatively correlated with stress (r = -0.392) and depression (r = -0.310), whereas self-compassion (0.401) was significantly positively correlated with benevolence. While correlations were in expected directions, benevolence was not significantly associated with Satisfaction with Life (r = 0.148) or anxiety (r = -0.199) in study 2.

Conclusion: Self-assessed benevolence is associated with levels of perceived stress, exhaustion, depression, and self-compassion. Future studies are warranted on how benevolence is related to stress and mental ill health such as depression and anxiety, and if benevolence can be trained in order to decrease stress and mental ill health such as depression and anxiety in workplace settings.

Health psychology among elderly is a neglected topic and social authorities ask foralternative treatment methods to medication. Several studies conclude there is alack of research regarding psychotherapy with elderly. Due to this, the aim of thepresent study is to examine the specific issues and life-problems that concernpsychotherapy attending seniors today, and what they consider as helpful intherapy. A qualitative research design was used with interviews conducted withfive women, who had all chosen to attend psychotherapy after retirement. Thewomen were between 64 and 73 years old when the interviews took place. Theresults showed that four of the five women had gone through some kind ofpersonal crisis in connection with their retirement. The women had all soughtpsychotherapy during the life span, due to a variety of reasons and life-problems.The women in this study think that psychotherapy is helpful after retirement, butthat the psychotherapy should be adapted to the specific needs that elderly peopledo have., which is in line with earlier research.

Introduction: The work of ministers in the Church of Sweden is based on Christian faith. Psychodynamic therapy is grounded in psychoanalysis which from the beginning viewed religious belief as psychic compromises. This study investigates how ministers are affected in their primary vocation by a psychotherapy training founded on psychoanalysis.

Research questions: Do the ministers experience a change in their religious belief as regards the image of god? How do they describe that change? How has psychotherapy education influenced the clergy in their ministry in church?

Method: Five semi-structured interviews with clergy in the Church of Sweden who are qualified psychodynamic psychotherapists were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Result: The study shows that the ministers experience a change in central aspects of their ministry as well as intrapsychic changes as regards their image of god, their horizon for understanding and general approach in meeting others. The ministers describe an integration of the two professions as regards pastoral care, interpretation of texts and leadership.

Discussion: A model is proposed showing that psychotherapy education brings forth an intrapsychic change and how the two professions become integrated. The results are discussed using object relation theory, attachment theory and other empirical studies.

Inledning: Att undersöka hur psykoterapeuterarbetar kliniskt med patienter som har svårigheter med mentalisering kan ge en tydligare uppfattning om vad som är hjälpsamt i skapandet av behandlingsallians. Psykoterapiforskning har visat att olika typer av interventioner kan vara verksamma i fråga om att skapa behandlingsallians. I denna studie undersöks vilka interventionstyperfem psykoterapeuter beskriver sig använda i försök att skapa behandlingsallians med patienter som har svårigheter med mentalisering.

Frågeställningar: Vilka interventionstyperuppleverpsykodynamiskt orienterade psykoterapeuter är till hjälp för att skapa behandlingsallians med patienter som har svårt att mentalisera?

Metod: I undersökningen tillämpades en kvalitativ, deskriptiv metod där data samlades in med hjälp av ljudinspelade, semistrukturerade intervjuer. Bearbetningsmetoden som används är tematisk analys.

Resultat: Studien visar terapeuters olika syn på vad som är till hjälp när det handlar omatt skapa behandlingsallians hos personer som har svårt att mentalisera. Trots skillnader i teoretiska förhållningssätt trädde fyra gemensamma teman fram. De fyra centrala temanasom trädde fram i bearbetningen av intervjuerna var affekter, transparens, samarbete samt överföring.

Diskussion: De beskrivna interventionstypernaochhur interventioner regleras efter reflektionsförmågadiskuteras. Vilka interventiontypersom upplevsverksamma jämförs med aktuell teoribildningi ämnet. Det framkommer olika teoretiska referensramar angående hur interventionstyperna skapas. Trotsolikateoretiska referensergår det att utkristalliseragemensamma interventionstyper.

Introduction: This study aims to describe psychotherapists usage of the attachment-theory in their clinical work with patients and families engaged inpsychotherapy.Issues: How do psychotherapists describe their usage of the attachment-theory in their work with patients? What is the psychotherapists experience of the consequences of a deficient attachment? What do the psychotherapist think of the possibilities of repairing deficient attachment.

Method: This study has a qualitative run-up. The study is based on four interviews to get a deeper understanding of how psychotherapists use theattachment-theory in their clinical work. The interviewer is semi-structured.

Results: The attachment-theory is used by psychotherapists in their clinical work, at least by the psychotherapists in this study. The theory is used as an implement to get a deeper understanding of the patient. This by thinking about the quality of the meeting and by being responsive to what the patients says and how they say it.

Discussion: The results shows that the attachment-theory can constitute a support in work to understand and help patients in the process to move on. It also shows that a healthy attachment can prevent later psychopathology.

Introduction: Even though distance therapy has been shown to be effective across a range of measures and increases access many psychotherapists still remain sceptic to the format.  

Aim: By examining how psychodynamic psychotherapists experience transitioning to distance therapy as regards the therapeutic process this study results in a contribution to the understanding of the continuing scepticism among therapists. 

Method: A qualitative, phenomenological study of semi-structured interviews with five psychotherapists using thematic analysis. 

Result: Two themes are identified: Presence and A new situation with two and four subthemes respectively: enabling and lamented; bodily communication, demarcation, therapeutic frame and preoccupation.

Discussion: Due to preoccupation presence understood as a relational quality of emotional, cognitive and functional availability could be continually lamented in distance therapy. The discussion results in a model showing that if a certain therapeutic technique, feeling in the room or therapeutic role is an underlying intention in the therapeutic process preoccupation will continue to be a factor in distance therapy encounters. Increased knowledge as regards therapists´ intentions in the therapeutic process is forwarded as a key factor to further acceptance of the distance therapy format.

Introduction: The relationship between analyst and patient in the therapeutic setting is of great importance in therapy, but what is the importance of this relationship outside the therapeutic setting?

Question: The purpose of this study is to examine psychoanalysts’ experiences of the patient’s presence in their inner world, outside the therapeutic setting, how the analyst, the therapeutic collaboration and the therapeutic process are affected by this.

Method: Five analysts were interviewed using semistructured qualitative interview. The interviews were analyzed using IPA.

Results: The analysts described experiences of a calm, creative, fluid, dreamlike presence of the patient, of a burdening presence characterized by concern, of a presence characterized by feelings of both affection and concern, of a transference and counter transference characterized by aggression, where the analyst feels occupied by the patient, and of the patient’s presence linked to frame break.

Discussion: All analysts stated that the patients had become internal objects, and a permanent part of their inner world. This could be experienced as both enriching, with feelings of joy, satisfaction and creativity, and demanding, with feelings of concern, frustration and anger. In both cases this presence was, however, experienced as an asset and a tool in the therapeutic process.

Inledning: Inom psykoanalysen finns välkända teorier som beskriver den härbärgerande funktionen. Begreppet har också beskrivits i flertalet erfarenhetsbaserade fallstudier men är svårare att finna empiriska studier om. Den härbärgerande funktionen är ett centralt begrepp inför vilken den kliniska förståelsen hade gynnats av att urskiljas från allmänt psykodynamiskt arbete och konkretiseras ur den teoretiska abstraktionen.

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att med en kvalitativt empirisk undersökning bidra till att öka praktisk förståelse för den härbärgande funktionen genom att undersöka psykodynamiska terapeuters upplevelser av hur den gestaltar sig i den egna kliniska praktiken.Metod: Sex semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med yrkesverksamma psykoterapeuter med inriktning psykodynamisk terapi och bearbetades med tematisk analys. Studien har i och med sin utgångspunkt i terapeuternas subjektiva upplevelser en fenomenologisk förståelse av svarsdata.

Resultat: Tre övergripande teman framträder; att stå ut, att ge tillbaka och att skapa i relation.Diskussion: Resultatet ger en kvalitativ inblick i undersökningsområdet. Resultatet bidrar med ett operationaliserat förslag på en klinisk och en i jämförelse med psykoanalytisk teori förståelig gestaltning av begreppet.

Nyckelord: härbärgerande funktion, terapeutens upplevelse, projektiv identifikation, motöverföringSökdatabaser: DiVA, PEP, PsycINFO, APA PsycNet, Google Scholar och PubMed.

Introduction: Art therapy/Art psychotherapy is a method in which image creation is used for therapeutic purposes. Art therapy as a method is found in different psychotherapeutic orientations, but the psychodynamic theory is most common. In recent years, several overview studies and RCT studies on Art Therapy as a treatment method have been published. Studies where clients have come to terms and shared their experience of the method are so far less widespread. This study aims to investigate clients' subjective experience of Art Therapy in psychodynamic therapy.

Issues: How does the client experience Art Therapy in a psychodynamic therapy? How does the client experience the impact of Art Therapy on the relationship with the therapist? How does the client experience that Art Therapy affects the understanding of him or herself?

Method: The study is based on interviews from five women between 36 and 63 years of age who participated in Art Therapy in psychodynamic therapy. Interview data were analyzed using Interpreting Phenomenological Analysis.

Result: Therapeutic alliance proved to be of great importance and, according to the participants, was mainly due to the therapist's professionalism and ability to create security. Art Therapy was further perceived as a method that facilitated expressing, becoming aware and managing emotions and a method that helped the participant to let go of control and lessen the defence. The participants emphasized the fact that the image revealed both conscious and unconscious feelings and thoughts in a concrete way. Finally, the results showed that the participants’ expressed that they had gained self-understanding and changed their self-image. All the participants in the study emphasized the impossibility that in words to express everything that the images could reveal.

Discussion: The outcome was discussed, inter alia, from other therapies where great emphasis is placed on consciousness, expressing and managing emotions. The therapeutic relationship was considered to be crucial but did not appear to be primarily a result of the Art Therapy method. The fact that the images were saved and were available for later consideration and discussion was, according to the participants, that their own change process became apparent in a visible way. Finally, the importance of giving space in research for clients’ subjective experience was discussed.  

Introduction: In Sweden, 35% of thechildren whose parents are separated have alternating residence i.e. they livehalf of the time with their mother and father respectively. Questions: Howhave separate parents experienced this process of adjustment from having been a"full-time parent"  in the nuclear family to becoming a"part-time parent" and see the child every fortnight and how do theyexperience that their relation to the children and those around has changedafter the adjustment? Method: A qualitative method has been chosen andfive separate parents living apart for at least 3 years have been interviewedin accordance with a semi-structured interview guide. Results: Theresult reveals that a separation is a process whose course of events startswith various strains within the nuclear family and leads to practical,emotional, social and relational changes that vary over time. Discussion:The result has been analysed focusing on the question to what extent it isbased on the three theories: the Transition theory, the Crisis theory and theEx-theory. The experiences of the informants correspond with all the threetheories in different parts. The separation process with alternating residenceinvolves a profound change going on parallelly; in the intrapsychic world (the Crisistheory), changes relating to identity and role and also witin the relationalworld towards the children as well as to other grown-ups (the Ex-theory). TheTransition theory makes a more differentiated description of the processpossible by means of its six factors. 

Introduction: Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis are strikingly absent in studies of palliative care and death. The purpose of this study is to explore how psychotherapists work in therapy with dying patients.

Research question: How do psychotherapists with psychodynamic orientation work with death in the therapy room?

Method: The study is based on semi-structured interviews with five licensed psychotherapists with psychodynamic orientation and with experience of therapy with dying patients. The material was analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: The result describes psychotherapists' work with dying patients. Four themes emerge. The first theme is that death becomes the framework of the therapy. The second theme shows the vital alliance. The third theme describes the therapeutic practice and the content of the therapy. The fourth theme describes the specific challenges that the therapist faces in therapy with dying patients.

Discussion: The study reveals that death affects the entire therapy. Death becomes the framework in therapy with dying patients. Alliance seems to come faster in therapies with dying patients. The content of the therapy will have a different focus. Life issues are given a lot of space. Many strong feelings are aroused in the therapy, both in the patient and in the therapist. The importance of theory formation is emphasized in order to understand these feelings in terms of transference/countertransference and projection/identification. The strong feelings aroused by the therapist is among the most challenging issues in therapies with dying patients. The results of the study are in line with previous research, which mainly consists of clinical reports.

Inledning: Färre män än kvinnor söker sig till psykodynamisk terapi, och den mesta kunskapen om män i terapi begränsar sig till subgrupper av män med missbruksproblematik eller kriminalitet. Det är därför väsentligt att öka kunskapen om män i mer generellt inriktad psykodynamisk terapi. Tidigare studier indikerar att när både terapeut och patient är män uppstår särskilda förutsättningar i terapin, som kan försvåra den samkönade terapin. Förståelse av vad som händer i manligt samkönade terapier kan underlätta för män som söker hjälp i psykodynamisk terapi.

Frågeställning: Hur upplever yrkesverksamma manliga terapeuter terapimötet med manliga patienter?

Metod: Fem manliga terapeuter intervjuades i semistrukturerade enskilda intervjuer. Materialet bearbetades med tematisk kvalitativ analys.

Resultat: Resultatet visar att informanterna upplever särskilda förutsättningar i manligt samkönade terapier vad gäller relationen till terapeuten, skam, kontroll, terapimålet och själva terapisituationen. De beskriver att detta kan relateras till mäns tendens att leva upp till normativ maskulinitet även i terapirummet. Dock kan terapeuten fungera som rollmodell och visa på alternativ till normativ maskulinitet.

Diskussion: Resultaten överensstämmer med tidigare forskning som påvisat mäns svårigheter att avvika från normativ maskulinitet i terapisituationen. Föreliggande studie uppmärksammar dessutom den manlige terapeutens funktion som rollmodell för alternativa maskuliniter, vilket kan sammankopplas med R. W. Connells teorier om maskuliniteter som ett differentierat begrepp. Ytterligare forskning om män i samkönade terapier är angelägen, i syfte att underlätta för hjälpbehövande män att söka terapi samt för att hjälpa terapeuter att möta män.

Introduction: Joy and sorrow are natural parts of life. For some of us, encounters with traumatic experiences will trigger the onset of what is commonly known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As a clinician at an outpatient team, I meet many patients with PTSD, some of which also have problems with dissociation. Dissociation is a psychological state in which an individual, to some degree or aspect, functionally handles a trauma by capsulating and isolating it, instead of going through the normal stages of processing. How come some people have a higher risk of developing a severe dissociation disorder while others, with a similar experience of trauma, do not? Are there any protecting factors involved, and if so, which? Previous research has highlighted early attachment as a probable candidate. The aim of this study is to explore the association between the style of attachment and severe dissociative disorder in outpatients with a PTSD diagnosis.

Questions: Is there any correlation between attachment style and severe dissociative disorder in the patient diagnosed with PTSD diagnosis in psychiatric outpatient care?

Methods: Thirty patients completed three self-assessment forms, ASQ (Attachment style Questionnaire), DES-T (Dissociation Experience Scale) and SDQ-5 (Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire).

Results: The patients' results on self-assessment of ASQ, DES-T and SDQ-5 show that there is a relationship between insecure attachment and increased risk of serious dissociation.

Discussion: The study's results show that there is a correlation between patient´s attachment style and the risk of serious dissociation. The result supports previous research. The results of the study give new impetus for both future research and for clinical application.

Introduction: There are few studies about the role of gender perspective and it’s use in psychotherapy. The purpose with this study is to describe how a group of legitimized psychotherapists use gender perspective in the therapeutic room and how they define the concept.

Question formulations: How do psychodynamic orientated psychotherapists define gender perspective and its meaning for them? In what way do they use gender perspective in the therapeutic work?

Method: A qualitative investigative method has been used where five legitimized psychotherapists, all women was interviewed in-depth. The result was analyzed and processed through thematic analysis method.

Result: The participants share awareness of the different conditions between men and women in society. The study shows that the therapists have different approach to the practice with gender perspective. Some of the informants believe that openness and transparency with gender perspective towards the patient is required while others bring it as a silent knowledge into the therapy room.

Discussion: The results are discussed from earlier research on feministic theory. The problem with connecting the own knowledge to the practice agree with earlier research and studies.

Introduction: The attachment system has proven influence on both how we seek security and safety and on the HPA-axis, the stress regulation system. The study aims to investigate the influence of attachment style among leaders and employees and on their experiences of work and health.

Research question: 1. Does insecure attachment (dismissive/preoccupied/fearful) have a negative influence on experiences of work and health? 2. Do employees of managers with secure attachment have more positive experiences of work and health?

Method: 432 officials in Swedish companies answered a web form consisting of the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), Salutogenic Health Indicator (SHIS), Work Experience Scale (WEMS).

Results: Employees with preoccupied or fearful attachment had worse experiences of some aspects of work. Employees with secure attachment experienced work more positively. The managers´ attachment style did affect the subordinates´ perception of some aspects of work and health. 

Discussion: Insecure attachment has a negative correlation with work experience which could indicate less effective stress regulation. Negative experiences among subordinates concerning physical health, self-determination and leadership are associated with insecure attached managers and could be a consequence of ineffective caring orientation of these managers. The importance of structure and security, which Swedish labor law provides, should be further discussed.

Redan Freud talade om den konstnärliga gestaltningen som en väg till det omedvetna. Konstnärliga terapiformer är också något som samtida forskning framhåller värdet av. Dock förmedlas inte kunskap om denna form av terapier på de legitimerande psykodynamiska psykoterapeututbildningar som idag ges i Sverige. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka förenande aspekter för de konstnärliga terapimetoderna dansterapi, musikterapi och symboldramaterapi. Kvalitativ metod med intervjuer användes. Urvalet begränsades till psykoterapeuter med legitimerande psykodynamisk skolning och erfarenheter av: dansterapi, musikterapi och symboldrama. Enligt resultatet karaktäriseras arbetet, oavsett konstnärlig metod, av något ordlöst i form av lekfullhet, kroppslig närvaro och en ingång till en annan kontakt. Arbetet tillämpas, inom alla de olika konstnärliga metoderna, genom följsamhet, flera uttryckssätt och samarbete med en aktiv terapeut i fokus. I diskussionen beskrivs att det som karaktäriserar arbetet med de olika konstnärliga metoder som undersökts också är något som förenar metoderna. I diskussionen framkommer även att tillvägagångssättet i kombination med en psykodynamisk förståelsemodell på ett mer direkt sätt än verbal terapi, inger trygghet vilket möjliggör ett delat ögonblick, reflektion och återuppbyggnad av självet.

Introduction: Being a relative of a person with an addiction disease involves a strong mental and physical stress. An important protection factor for the relatives is breaking the silence and shame and seek help. Ersta Vändpunkten is a clinic for these relatives and offers educational groups with a therapeutic objective. This study focuses on program for parents/relatives to children in the so-called little child group (4-6 years). Focus in the program is to support the parents in how they can help the child to understand what is happening in the family and how to take the child’s perspective. The aim of the study is to share the parent’s experiences of participating in this group. Questions: How has participation in the parenting program affected parenting ability? How has participation in the parent group affected the family? Methods: This is a web-based survey, the questionnaire has been analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results: 30 parents/relatives have been asked to participate of whom 17 responded (57%). The survey reveals that the parent/relative now has an improved relationship with the child and that communication in the family has changed for the better. Other relationships, to relatives, friends and to the addictive part have not changed noticeably. All respondents feel the child’s and their own self-esteem have become much better/better after participating. There is also a consensus among respondents that their ability to set boundaries towards the addicted part has become much better/better. Discussion: While the high non-response rate endangers firm conclusions, the findings are nevertheless promising.

Introduction: Psychotherapy can be helpful in reducing suffering when a person is affected by a fatal disease. Psychotherapy with patients who suffer from fatal diseases might provoke strong emotional reactions within the therapist. Research within the field of psychodynamic therapy is predominantly based on case studies, which is why this qualitative interview study could add further knowledge about how the emotional experiences are described by psychodynamic therapists. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychodynamic psychotherapist's experience of therapies with patients who suffer from fatal disease, in order to get an understanding of the therapist's emotional reactions. 

Questions: How does the psychotherapist describe the emotional experiences of the psychotherapy with patients suffering from a fatal disease? What does the psychotherapist consider to be important in psychotherapies with patients carrying a fatal disease? 

Method: A semi-structured qualitative interview study was conducted with five licensed psychodynamic psychotherapists with experience in psychotherapies with patients who suffer from a fatal disease. A thematic analysis was used to organize the material. 

Results: The study shows that psychotherapy with patients who suffer from a fatal disease evoke strong emotional reactions in the therapist, where feelings of helplessness were prominent. The therapist's coping with strong emotional reactions and the relationship to his own mortality affected how the therapist was affected by the therapies. In a close and emotional relationship and with a flexible therapeutic framework, the therapist was able to meet the patient's strong feelings in the process towards death, where a feeling of gratitude also arose in the therapist. 

Discussion: The study discusses how the therapist is affected by the work with patients with a fatal disease and how the therapist deals with strong emotional reactions. The importance of the psychotherapist's personal approach and flexible framework and what resources and experiences the psychodynamic psychotherapist needs to be able to undertake these psychotherapies. 

Introduction: An emotional meeting can enable a therapeutic change. The moment of meeting can awake strong emotions within the psychotherapist and challenge the ability to handle this. There is limited research about psychotherapists´ experiences of own emotions in the psychotherapeutic work.

Aim: To achieve in-depth knowledge of how psychodynamically active psychotherapists experience and manage own emotions in the psychotherapeutic work.

Method: Seven psychodynamic psychotherapists were interviewed. The material was thematically analyzed.

Results: Through professional experience, the informants described a professional development, which was helpful in coping with strong emotions. There was a predominantly positive attitude to sharing emotions with patients, but the experience of how this was done varied. Negative emotions towards patients were considered difficult to talk about. Both as a patient and as a therapist in counselling, the informants had gained experiences that helped them in managing strong emotions.

Discussion: The result was discussed in relation to psychotherapists professional development, intersubjectivity, important characteristics for a therapist and the ability to manage emotional moments. Furthermore there is a discussion about sharing emotions with the patient, the pros and cons of self-disclosure and the importance of being able to talk about negative emotions.

Introduction: The study investigates how family treatment done under coercion affects the ability of family therapists to create therapeutic alliance with families, and if this affects the therapist’s feelings of the possibility of creating changes. Questions: How family therapists are affected in their work to create a therapeutic alliance when the family is under / threatening care of young persons act (LVU)? Are there important relational elements in treatment that contribute to change when there is LVU or threat of LVU? Method: Qualitative interview investigation and thematic analysis. Results: The results of the study show that therapists feel it is of the utmost importance that they prove to be a "normal person", are given the opportunity to co-operate with the family and that they raise strengths rather than weaknesses, to reach an alliance. The result also shows that respondents experience it as aggravating when it comes to the creation of alliance, as collaboration with social services is sometimes complicated. They find it easier to create alliance when the family themselves ask for treatment. They believe that change is possible, albeit more difficult, when coercion exists. Discussion: The outcome of the study is discussed, partly from an intersubjective and systemic perspective.

This paper discusses and examines how a number of family therapists look at the processes and factors related to how to build alliance with adolescents in family therapy. The current state of knowledge on this issue raises the important thing to get right alliance with adolescents in family therapy in terms of how successful and Goal Completions therapy becomes. The study shows that therapists have to consider that youth are in a development psychological position when they approach the young people with a generous dose of respect and sensitivity, as well as the growing awareness that young people are particularly sensitive and observant of how family therapists act in relation to them and their parents.

Introduction: Antenatal depression is a risk associated with non-full-term pregnancies, difficulties in attaching with the baby and postpartum depression.According to current research, a pregnant woman´s mental state during pregnancy can have a bearing on the development of the foetus. During pregnancy, feelings, experiences and memories from childhood are brought back, making psychotherapy a favourable form of treatment. The overall purpose of this study is to find out about certified psychotherapists experiences of psychodynamic therapy treatment: challenges and possibilities when working with pregnant women.

Questions: What do psychotherapists find challenging in the psychodynamic work with pregnant women? What do they experience as successful contents and helpful intervention as regarding psychotherapy with pregnant women?

Method: Five qualified psychotherapists practicing psychodynamic psychotherapy were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured, using thematic analysis condensed into three different themes.

Result: The three themes involved are framework, content and therapeutic goal. Depending on the stage of pregnancy, the character of treatment will vary. Interventions are characterized by responsiveness and caution. Therapists will base their treatment on the pregnant woman´s complicated condition: fragility and strength. The therapeutic goal is to prepare the mother-to-be for motherhood; attachment being in focus.

Discussion: The result is discussed from the point of view of the psychotherapists´ experiences -challenges and possibilities- in sessions with pregnant women.Valuable factors in therapists experience are discussed on theoretical concepts and research. The reason for selecting the method in question is discussed.

Introduction: Feelings play a significant role in mental illness and are a focus in therapeutic work. They may hide behind defenses and in embodied states and may need to be made aware. The study aims to explore art psychotherapists' experiences of expressing emotions in art therapy, to see if art interventions can complement the verbal expression in therapy.

Questions: How have art psychotherapists used image creation to express and process their own emotions? How do they feel that it has helped or hindered the mental work with own emotions?

Method: The study is based on interviews with five female art psycho­therapists. The material was analyzed in an inductive thematic analysis.

Result: The study shows that image creation helps to make emotions visible. It also helps to evoke new, calm and symbolize emotions. Furthermore, it appears that the framework of image creation itself has an impact on emotions. For example, the leader/group can influence, but also what kind of art material is used and how the room is designed.

Discussion: The result shows that art interventions both can hinder and promote helpful work with feelings. The therapist's role in dealing with this by assessing the patient and to model containing of emotions is highlighted. Also the importance of controlling variables such as the patient's current situation, type of art material and group climate.

Introduction: Children who participate in family therapy in social services in Sweden have the right to relevant information, the right to be heard and the right to have influence. These aspects of children's right is based on UN Convention but also from the Social Services Act and the BBIC.

Research questions: What does adolescents who participated in family therapy think about their participation? What do they think is important to make adolescents participate in family therapy? Had it been possible to do something more or differently to increase their experience of influence?

Method: Since the purpose was to investigate adolescents' subjective experience of participation the method of choice was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews in which five young people who participated in family therapy was interviewed.

Result: The results show that the respondents felt that they were involved in a high degree, and link this to a number of factors that they also believe is important for adolescents in general. What they raised as important was to get to choose to participate and what they took part in, to be heard individually in the early stages, to get active help to be heard in the joined family sessions with parents, to be involved and formulate goals, to be involved in decisions about the method and that the therapist to be "right person" for them.

Discussion: A common theme in the interviewees' stories is how important it was to not only be invited to participate but also to be enlaced as equal partners of equal value and influence of parents but who sometimes need more help to be heard.

Introduction A premature birth often provoke a crisis in the family, siblings are often not sufficiently taken in connection with a child is born very prematurely.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the siblings and parents 'experience with a particular focus on the siblings' experience of getting an extremely premature siblings, that is, Born rows 28 and earlier with a birth weight under one kilogram - v <28 <1000 g. The questions in the survey focused on expectations about getting a sibling, what marked time in the neonatal unit, and how the family can be affected by getting an extremely prematurely given birth.

A qualitative method was chosen, the study is based on four semi-structured interviews with siblings between the ages of ten to fifteen years and five qualitative parental questionnaires. The results my study correspond well with earlier research findings.

The neonatal period was characterized by many emotions from strong despair to joy and happiness. A time that was to include a lot of concern for both siblings and parents. Strong conflicting emotions aroused in the parents by not being good enough for both at home and siblings of the prematurely born child. Separation and a broken family experienced by all respondents. Siblings describe a strong absence out of her mother. Everyday life for the families became chaotic, stressful and chaotic with little time for recovery. Discussion several studies demonstrate the vulnerability of the siblings are not sufficiently addressed in the context of a premature birth. Further research in this area from a family perspective is needed. With regard to the family members of the need to manage and process, an often traumatic experience of getting a very premature baby.

Introduction: The study aims to understand and learn from the experiences of foster children with good relationships with foster parents. Many children and youth are placed in foster homes every year, and disruptions and unplanned terminations of care are common. At the same time, many youth give evidence that the time in the foster home has been crucial for their possibilities to master difficult family relationships and reach a functional life.

Research questions: What experiences do foster children pay attention to when telling about their good relationship with foster parents? How can their experiences be explained and understood?

Research method: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with five teenagers in foster care.

Results: The study shows the significance of safety and belonging for the youth, and that the experiences are created from, among other, absence of conflicts and scolding, and from the conversational practices established in the foster home.

Discussion: The results are discussed in the light of attachment theory and a systemic perspective. 

Inledning: Psykoterapeuter har genom lång utbildning och kliniskt arbete övat upp en analytisk förmåga. Den förmågan består av dels förmågan till uppmärksamhet och iakttagelse, dels förmågan av analys av det som uppmärksammats. Detta är själva navet i det kliniska arbetet att kunna fånga upp både medvetna och omedvetna processer hos patienten för att terapi ska kunna bedrivas. Förmågan till iakttagelse och analys innefattar även den egna personen. Det innebär att terapeuten i arbetet inte bara är medveten om den andres inre processer utan även de egna inre procceserna.

Frågeställningar: Denna studie syftar till att uppmärksamma hur terapeuten upplever den analytiska förmågan i sitt personliga liv för att undersöka om utbildning och arbete faktiskt har en djupare inverkan på privatlivet. Hur upplever terapeuterna att det är att leva med den kunskap och den medvetenhet som den psykoterapeutiska utbildningen och det fortsatt kliniska arbetet bidragit till? Vilka möjligheter och svårigheter bidrar det till? Kommer den analytiska förmågan att få konsekvenser även i terapeutens personliga liv och relationer? Hur hanteras dessa konsekvenser?

Metod: Studien bygger på en kvalitativ metod med fenomenologisk och deskriptiv ansats. Fem legitimerade psykoterapeuter har intervjuats med kvalitativa intervjuer om de upplever att deras analytiska förmåga påverkar deras personliga liv. Intervjuerna transkriberades och analyserades med den kvalitativ metoden innehållsanalys.

Resultat: Resultatet visar att den analytiska förmågan upplevdes i hög grad påverka terapeutens personliga liv. Detta resultat presenteras i form av fem kategorier och 14 underkategorier. De fyra kategorierna omfattar 1. hur fungerar den analytiska förmågan, 2. hur upplevs den, 3. hur används den, 4. hur kopplar psykoterapeuterna av från den och 5. hur påverkas identiteten. Ett övergripande tema som framträddeoch som fanns som en röd tråd genom alla intervjuer var att den analytiska förmågan upplevdes både som en gåva och en förbannelse.

Diskussion: Det som framkommer i denna studie av hur psykoterapeuter upplever den analytiska förmågan i sina personliga liv överensstämmer med den tidigare forskning som gått att få fram. Terapeuterna upplever att deras yrkesfärdighet i allra högsta grad påverkar deras personliga liv, men upplever det framför allt som något positivt. Nackdelar framgår men fördelarna överväger.  

Introduction: The need for trauma treatment for refugees has increased. The psychotherapist testifies to stories that concern suffering, fear and pain. The purpose of this study is to investigate how psychotherapists experience their work in dealing with war and torture injured refugees.

Research questions: How do psychotherapists experience the work of war and torture injured refugees? Are psychotherapists using coping strategies to handle their experiences in the work of war and torture-injured refugees? If so, which?

Method: Qualitative method with phenomenological, descriptive approach was chosen. Five psychotherapists working with war and torture injured refugees were interviewed.

Results: ”Oscillating between powerlessness and creative change" is a theme that represents the underlying latent message, what is said "between the lines" and represents the red thread found in all the interviews. The manifest results show that the therapists experience their work as a privilege and as burdensome. The therapists use conscious coping strategies to deal with emotional stress.

Discussion: The therapists' description of their work on war and torture injured is in line with previous research. Therapists' experience of their work can be understood by the concepts of transference, projective identification, vicarious traumatization, secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth.

Introduction: In this study, which is based on the interviews concerning the experiences of five single mothers, the transition to motherhood is highlighted.

Objectives: How does the single mother experience motherhood? What is the impact of motherhood on her self-perception? In the transition to becoming a mother, what is considered helpful and what is considered limiting?

Method: Based on five narrative interviews, with single mothers having children aged in the range 9 to 15 months, a qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach has been used.

Results: In the analysis, three themes emerged. In the first theme, the child was seen as a breakpoint in the woman’s life. In the second theme it is acknowledged that, out of the mother-child relationship, like an I and a You relationship, a sense of a We emerged in the relation, which challenges as well as strengthens the mothers’ sense of self. The third theme acknowledges that, the single mother struggles with a feeling of insufficiency as a parent, which is seen as both a result of the sole responsibility and that the single mother seems to challenge both a two-parent norm within the parenthood and an internalized ideal of nuclear family. 

Discussion: Starting from relational psychoanalytical theory, the results were analyzed. In the study, the transition to motherhood follows a three-step process of self-changes that initially dissolves the self, then challenges the self and finally strengthens the self. The process is developed from an actual and ethical responsibility of the mother for the child, which in turn also generates a responsibility for herself. Intersubjectivity was seen as a driving force in the process. The single mother seems particularly vulnerable during this process when the need for closeness, support and recognition is accentuated. The single mother seems also at risk of experiencing herself standing alone when she finds that her parenthood might challenge certain norms and the immediate and indirect message of the environment might be divorced. Then there is a risk that she experiences herself questioned, exposed and lonesome. Providing women with therapy support during pregnancy and emerging maternity is a clinical implication suggested in the study.

Introduction: Different therapy methods provide different help. ISTDP is distinguished by being more intensive and, as in all methods, also here alliance is important. Therapists are the one who are working with the alliance but how they experienced it, what similarities and differences there are in the different methods they work with, has rarely been investigated. The goal with the study is to illustrate psychodynamic psychotherapists view on alliance in both ISTDP and classic psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Questions: How do clinically effective psychodynamic psychotherapists see the therapeutic alliance in both classic psychotherapy and ISTDP? What are the differences and similarities in how they create and maintain it?

Method: Six licensed psychodynamic psychotherapists who also are educated in ISTDP have been interviewed. The research is based on grounded theory.

Result: Differences that are found are the need for contract and frame and how the method is applied. A gender difference is in the therapist's view of the possibility of engagement, in ascribing signification to the interventions that bring about alliance and in the way alliance, attachment and emotional contact has been used. Similarities are regarding the importance of therapist's engagement, competence and patient's problems.

Discussion: The result was discussed on base of the therapist's view upon alliance. Therapist's engagement and patient's problems as well as how the method has an impact on creating the alliance has been discussed. Therapist's experience of being able to create and maintain the alliance has been discussed from a gender perspective and legibility.

Introduction: The purpose of this paper to examine how five psychodynamic oriented private practice psychotherapists define the concept of the psychotherapeutic contract, how they work with the psychotherapeutic contract and what effects they think this work provides.

Issues: How do you define the concept of psychotherapeutic contract? How do you work practically with the psychotherapeutic contract? What impact do you see your work with the psychotherapeutic contract?

Method: A qualitative inductive analysis has been used. Five psychodynamic oriented psychotherapists were interviewed with semi-structured questions. The material has thereafter been encoded, thematized, analyzed and compiled.

Results: The psychotherapeutic contract terms have not been perceived as acknowledged by those interviewed. All uses, however, a psychotherapeutic contract in different ways. All interviewees are experiencing the benefits of working with the psychotherapeutic contract provided it is used correctly.

Discussion: The psychotherapeutic contract is interpreted and applied in various ways depending on the theoretical orientation. Based on the frames of the essay it can be concluded that psychodynamic psychotherapy is interpreted and practiced in different ways depending on how the psychotherapist relate to the psychotherapeutic contract.

It has been found that a large proportion of patients do not experience any positive change from psychotherapy and that about 5-10% deteriorates during treatment. There is no consensus in the field regarding what change is and what constitutes signs of positive and negative changes, nor how the therapists should relate to such signs.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the term Abject as developed by Julia Kristeva. Research questions: How do therapists familiar with the term Abject perceive its clinical relevance and usefulness? Which are the implications described concerning intrapsychic and/or intersubjective characteristics in therapy? Method: Interviewing six therapists, all familiar with Kristeva, the study sought to find how the Abject is relevant in psychodynamic therapy in Sweden today, as to understand its intrapsychic and intersubjective implications. The interviews were analysed using deductive thematic analysis. Results: The phenomenology of the Abject was described as presenting itself through affective and somatic symptoms, devoid of symbolic representation and relational boundaries. It was further described as characterized by patients acting out, seeking to symbiotically merge or to differentiate themselves as separate. The study showed that working clinically with the Abject requires the therapist to construct a relation based on trust, define borders and to help the patient to express formerly unspeakable experiences, thus enabling the patient, ideally, to establish themselves as subject, mourn the separation and develop the capacity to stand alone. Discussion: In working with the abject, the interviewed therapists appear to assume positions of varying degree along, on the one hand a non-verbal level of presence in the therapeutic room and on the other hand a verbally demarcated level. In every case the work with the Abject appear to aim for separation and the formation of the subject. This work appears to be crucial for the individual as to be able to relate to others.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) for patients with chronic pain.

METHOD: A sample of 228 pain patients was drawn from a larger naturalistic study of ISTDP. They received an average of 6.1 sessions delivered by 31 therapists. Psychiatric symptoms and interpersonal problems were assessed at three time points. Healthcare data from baseline year and three years following treatment came from independent governmental databases.

RESULTS: Multilevel models indicated significant reductions in symptoms and interpersonal problems during treatment, including a moderate to large pre-post effect size (d = 0.76) for somatization. Further, the sample had successive reductions in yearly healthcare costs, reaching the normal population mean two years post-treatment.

CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of the uncontrolled design, our study suggests that ISTDP may be both clinically effective and cost-effective for patients with chronic pain.

Different forms of psychotherapy are effective for cluster C personality disorders, but we know less about what in-session processes promote change. Contrasting successful and unsuccessful cases may elucidate processes that facilitate or impede outcome and offer suggestions for clinical practice and future research. In this exploratory outcome-process study, 10 successful and 10 unsuccessful cases were selected from a randomized trial comparing cognitive therapy and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for cluster C personality disorders. Videotaped sessions were rated with the Psychotherapy Process Q-Set (PQS). The treatments were compared in terms of which PQS items differentiated successful and unsuccessful cases, as well as their resemblance with PQS prototypes of "ideal treatments." Therapists' behavior in early sessions was also explored. Results indicate that successful cases in our sample were characterized by a more active and engaged patient. In contrast, unsuccessful cases were characterized by a more directive or "controlling" therapist stance. Correlations with PQS prototypes were moderate to strong in both successful and unsuccessful cases, suggesting that optimal and suboptimal interpersonal processes may be independent of adherence to particular treatments. Exploration of therapist behaviors in early sessions indicated that therapists were more likely to adjust their way of working in the successful cases. Our result suggests that patient engagement and therapists' early efforts to improve the therapy relationship may be pivotal for successful outcome, whereas therapist controlling behavior may obstruct the treatment process, regardless of therapy model used. The impact of these in-session processes should be examined more closely in larger samples in future studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Introduction: People with intellectual disabilities are affected more than others by mental illness and can easily fall into destructive patterns of life. They often feel that they have difficulty getting adequate and appropriate treatment.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate psychotherapists experience of psychodynamic psychotherapy with individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities who suffer from mental illness.

Issues:How do psychodynamic oriented psychotherapists describe the psychotherapeutic process in working with people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities? What do the therapists describe as active and helpful and how do they look at the results of treatment?

Method: Six psychotherapists were interviewed based on a qualitative, descriptive approach.

Results: When analyzing the material a number of themes appeared: 1. The therapist description of the phases of the therapeutic process. 2. External factors that can influence therapies with the target group. 3. The intellectual disabilities significance. 4. Therapeutic challenges in the work with the target group. 5. The active and helpful. 6. The conditions around the therapist.

Discussion: The result shows that the interviewed therapists feel that psychodynamic psychotherapy with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities can be meaningful and effective. Some specific aspects and the need to adapt the therapeutic work is described as central in the work with the target group.

Introduction: In this literature study, the relationships between objectrelationships and antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy among criminalswas analysed. The aim is to increase the understanding of the unconsciousemotional processes of people with a criminal lifestyle. An increasedunderstanding is believed to contribute to better tailored interventions for thetarget group.

Issues: What object relations are found in men with a criminal lifestyle? How cana greater understanding in the area contribute to better tailored interventions forthe target group?

Methods: The studies have been included through database search and examinedthrough thematization. General and specific aspects of object relations wereidentified.

Results: The result shows that the target group generally has a personalityorganization at borderline level. Specifically, egocentrism is the characteristicaspect. Interventions that have proved to be successful with other personalitydisorders within cluster B are believed to be useful to the target group.

Discussion: Further research is needed to examine how egocentrism should behandled in the therapeutic situation. Psycho-educative elements aboutegocentrism are believed to help the client idealize this knowledge and turn it intoan interest in his own mental states.

Introduction:  The aim of the present study was to investigate how young adults themselves describe mental ill-health and how their description says something about how it affects the view of themselves, how they struggle with it and their description of healthcare and therapeutic treatment. By studying blogs, the image of mental ill-health from the young adult's own perspective as they themselves describe it can widen.

Issues:The issues that have been investigated have been how the young person describes mental illness and how the description of themselves is linked to the view of themselves, their struggle with mental illness and their description of healthcare and therapeutic treatment.

Method: In this study, 4 blogs on the topic of mental illness have been used as empirical material and an analytical method based on the discourse psychological approach based on Wetherell & Potters interpretation repertoires. The four interpretative repertoires were defined after categorizing the material in different themes that finally was gathered in four interpretive repertoires: 1) perceived mental ill-health - anxiety discourse, 2) treatment of care interventions - treatment discourse 3) intervention with focus on treatment of treatment - confidence discourse 4) and identification with mental illness - identification discourse.

Results: The material in the study has been reported on the basis of the four interpretative repertoires that were defined and show that women describe mental ill-health mainly in terms of anxiety and then in somatic form something that they describe affects them both in their view of themselves and their view of the environment, especially in relation to themselves for healthcare and therapeutic treatment.

Discussion: The women in this study describe a difference between their perception of mental ill-health, mainly referred to in terms of anxiety and how anxiety works. This also appears in their description of mental illness and how it affects the view of themselves and their surroundings in this study, especially in relation to health and care. In the description of meetings with healthcare and treatment, similar problems arise even after they describe long-term contact with healthcare and treatment. Further research could, for example through interviews with blog writers, be able to investigate what the blog symbolizes for the blog writer and what the women think they want to convey through the blog. What is it that they think the blog replaces as they cannot get in their surroundings or from the adults?

BACKGROUND: Adolescent depression is one of the largest health issues in the world and there is a pressing need for effective and accessible treatments.

OBJECTIVE: This trial examines whether affect-focused internet-based psychodynamic therapy (IPDT) with therapist support is more effective than an internet-based supportive control condition on reducing depression in adolescents.

METHODS: The trial included 76 adolescents (61/76, 80% female; mean age 16.6 years), self-referred via an open access website and fulfilling criteria for major depressive disorder. Adolescents were randomized to 8 weeks of IPDT (38/76, 50%) or supportive control (38/76, 50%). The primary outcome was self-reported depressive symptoms, measured with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology for Adolescents (QIDS-A17-SR). Secondary outcomes were anxiety severity, emotion regulation, self-compassion, and an additional depression measure. Assessments were made at baseline, postassessment, and at 6 months follow-up, in addition to weekly assessments of the primary outcome measure as well as emotion regulation during treatment.

RESULTS: IPDT was significantly more effective than the control condition in reducing depression (d=0.82, P=.01), the result of which was corroborated by the second depression measure (d=0.80, P<.001). IPDT was also significantly more effective in reducing anxiety (d=0.78, P<.001) and increasing emotion regulation (d=0.97, P<.001) and self-compassion (d=0.65, P=.003). Significantly more patients in the IPDT group compared to the control group met criteria for response (56% vs 21%, respectively) and remission (35% vs 8%, respectively). Results on depression and anxiety symptoms were stable at 6 months follow-up. On average, participants completed 5.8 (SD 2.4) of the 8 modules.

CONCLUSIONS: IPDT may be an effective intervention to reduce adolescent depression. Further research is needed, including comparisons with other treatments.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 16206254; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN16206254.

Introduction: Risk use of alcohol causes problems for the individual, his enviroment, and is linked to a number of serious illnesses. Early interventions can prevent more serious dependency development. Research related to psychotherapists´experience of psychodynamic therapy in risk use of alcohol is limited. The purpose of the study is to elucidate therapists´experience of risk use of alcohol in psychodynamic therapy.

Question: How do psychotherapists experience and describe psychodynamic therapy with patients who are at risk of alcohol use?

Method: Five legitimate psychotherapists with experience in the field, were selected on the basis of a targeted convenience selection. To elucidate therapists´experiences and experiences, a qualitative method was used. The study has an inductive approach and a semi-structured interview form with directed open questions. The interview material has been structured and categorized according to the thematic analysis method.

Results: Three main themes with their subthemes emerged in the study; 1. The therapeutic attitude 2. The patient; conditions and barriers 3. Psychodynamic therapy in risk use.

Discussion: The informants highlighted different experiences of interventions in the use of alcohol at risk. On the one hand, the importance of being an active psychotherapist and asking questions about alcohol consumption, and on the other hand, let the patient himself raise his problems at his own pace. The informants highlighted both the possibilites and limitations of the psychodynamic method in the risk use of alcohol.