The outcome of short- and long-term psychotherapy 10 years after start of treatment

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1175-1188 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Knekt ◽  
E. Virtala ◽  
T. Härkänen ◽  
M. Vaarama ◽  
J. Lehtonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Work Ability ◽  
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Term Therapy ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Treatment Standards ◽  
Remission Rates ◽  
Short Term Therapy

BackgroundEmpirical evidence on whether patients’ mental health and functioning will be more improved after long-term than short-term therapy is scarce. We addressed this question in a clinical trial with a long follow-up.MethodIn the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study, 326 out-patients with mood or anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LPP), short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (SPP) or solution-focused therapy (SFT) and were followed for 10 years. The outcome measures were psychiatric symptoms, work ability, personality and social functioning, need for treatment, and remission.ResultsAt the end of the follow-up, altogether 74% of the patients were free from clinically elevated psychiatric symptoms. Compared with SPP, LPP showed greater reductions in symptoms, greater improvement in work ability and higher remission rates. A similar difference in symptoms and work ability was observed in comparison with SFT after adjustment for violations of treatment standards. No notable differences in effectiveness between SFT and SPP were observed. The prevalence of auxiliary treatment was relatively high, 47% in SFT, 58% in SPP and 33% in LPP, and, accordingly, the remission rates for general symptoms were 55, 45 and 62%, respectively.ConclusionsAfter 10 years of follow-up, the benefits of LPP in comparison with the short-term therapies are rather small, though significant in symptoms and work ability, possibly due to more frequent use of auxiliary therapy in the short-term therapy groups. Further studies should focus on the choice of optimal length of therapy and the selection of factors predicting outcome of short- v. long-term therapy.

The Effectiveness of Three Psychotherapies of Different type and Length in the Treatment of Patients Suffering from Anxiety Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s777-s777
Author(s):  
P. Knekt ◽  
O. Lindfors ◽  
T. Maljanen
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Work Ability ◽  
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Term Therapy ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Axis I

IntroductionData on the comparative effect of short and long-term psychotherapy in anxiety disorder is scarce.AimTo compare the effectiveness of two short-term therapies and one long-term psychotherapy in the treatment of patients with anxiety disorder.MethodsAltogether 50 outpatients with anxiety disorder as the only axis I diagnosis, were randomly assigned to long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LPP), short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (SPP), and solution-focused therapy (SFT) and were followed for 5 years. The outcome measures were psychiatric symptoms, working ability, need for psychiatric treatment, remission, and cost-effectiveness.ResultsDuring the first year of follow-up, no significant differences in the effectiveness between the therapies were noted. During the following 3 years, LPP and SFT more effectively reduced symptoms, improved work ability, and elevated the remission rate than SPP. No significant differences between LPP and SFT were seen. At the end of the follow-up, the use of auxiliary treatment was lowest in the SFT group whereas remission rates or changes in psychiatric symptom or work ability did not differ between the groups. The average total direct costs were about three times higher in the LPP group than in the short-term therapy groups.ConclusionsThe difference in effectiveness of LPP and SFT was negligible, whereas SPP appeared less effective. Thus, the resource-oriented SFT may be a cost-effective option in this selected patient group, while unconsidered allocation of patients to LPP does not appear to be cost-effective. Given the small number of patients, no firm conclusions should, however be drawn based on this study.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Prediction of Demographic Factors on the Outcome of Short- and Long-term Psychotherapy

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
K. Joutsenniemi ◽  
O. Lindfors ◽  
M. Laaksonen ◽  
P. Haaramo ◽  
P. Knekt
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Term Therapy ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Long Term Therapy

Background:Demographic factors have been shown to predict the outcome of short-term psychotherapy in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders. So far, however, information on the prediction for long- term therapy is missing. to be able to choose an optimal psychotherapy length for the patient, it is essential to know, which demographic factors predict different outcome in short- and long-term therapy.Aim:To compare the prediction of demographic factors on changes in psychiatric symptoms in short- and long-term psychotherapy.Methods:In the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study, 326 psychiatric outpatients, aged 20-46 years, and suffering from depressive or anxiety disorders, were randomly assigned to short-term therapy (short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy or solution-focused therapy combined) or long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. the demographic factors (i.e. age, gender, education, income, and living arrangement) were assessed at baseline by a questionnaire. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Symptom Check List, Global Severity Index (SCL-90-GSI) at baseline and 7 times during a 3-year follow-up.Results:Demographic factors were found to predict symptom development during follow-up irrespective of baseline symptom level. Female gender, being aged 25 or more, living with a spouse/partner, high education, and medium level personal income predicted benefiting sufficiently from short-term therapy, whereas being aged under 25, medium education, and living with other(s) than a partner or child(ren) predicted the need of long-term therapy.Conclusions:Demographic factors may be a useful tool in the selection of patients for short- and long term therapy.

Effectiveness of Psychoanalysis and Long-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy 10 Years After Start of Treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S263-S263
Author(s):  
O. Lindfors ◽  
P. Knekt ◽  
J. Lehtonen ◽  
E. Virtala
Keyword(s):  
Social Functioning ◽  
Work Ability ◽  
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Work Status ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionThe evidence of potentially greater long-term benefits of psychoanalysis (PA) in comparison to long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LPP) is scarce.AimsThis study aimed to compare the effectiveness of PA and LPP on different aspects of functioning and wellbeing during a 10-year follow-up from the beginning of the treatments.MethodsAltogether 169 patients were included in the study: 41 patients self-selected for PA and 128 patients assigned to LPP in the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study. The eligible patients were 20–45 years of age and had a long-standing anxiety or mood disorder causing work dysfunction. Potential confounding factors were assessed at baseline and acknowledged in analyzing outcomes in personality (LPO, IIP-64, DSQ, SASB) and social functioning (SAS-SR, SOC, Perceived competence, LSS), psychiatric diagnoses (DSM-IV), symptoms (SCL-90, HDRS, HARS), work ability (SAS-work, WAI, PPF, GAF, work status), and remission, including the use of additional psychiatric treatment, measured 5 to 14 times during the 10-year follow-up.ResultsFrom the 5-year to the 7-year follow-up personality and social functioning improved significantly more in the PA than in the LPP group. In the domain of psychiatric symptoms and work ability practically no differences were found beyond the 5-year follow-up and at the final 10-year measurement, when psychiatric and work status was relatively good in both treatment groups.ConclusionsPA may give additional benefits especially when personality-related long-term aims are essential and less intensive treatments are not considered to be sufficient.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Influence of lifestyle risk factors on work ability and sick leave in a general working population in Norway: a 5-year longitudinal study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e045678
Author(s):  
Marit Müller De Bortoli ◽  
Inger M. Oellingrath ◽  
Anne Kristin Moeller Fell ◽  
Alex Burdorf ◽  
Suzan J. W. Robroek
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Sick Leave ◽  
Work Ability ◽  
Working Population ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Lifestyle Risk Factors ◽  
Lifestyle Risk

ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to assess (1) whether lifestyle risk factors are related to work ability and sick leave in a general working population over time, and (2) these associations within specific disease groups (ie, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and mental illness).SettingTelemark county, in the south-eastern part of Norway.DesignLongitudinal study with 5 years follow-up.ParticipantsThe Telemark study is a longitudinal study of the general working population in Telemark county, Norway, aged 16 to 50 years at baseline in 2013 (n=7952) and after 5-year follow-up.Outcome measureSelf-reported information on work ability (moderate and poor) and sick leave (short-term and long-term) was assessed at baseline, and during a 5-year follow-up.ResultsObesity (OR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.32 to 2.05) and smoking (OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.35 to 1.96) were associated with long-term sick leave and, less strongly, with short-term sick leave. An unhealthy diet (OR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.43), and smoking (OR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.24 to 2.25) were associated with poor work ability and, to a smaller extent, with moderate work ability. A higher lifestyle risk score was associated with both sick leave and reduced work ability. Only few associations were found between unhealthy lifestyle factors and sick leave or reduced work ability within disease groups.ConclusionLifestyle risk factors were associated with sick leave and reduced work ability. To evaluate these associations further, studies assessing the effect of lifestyle interventions on sick leave and work ability are needed.

Time—A Neglected Aspect of Psychiatric Treatments

1978 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-295
Author(s):  
O. T. Stanley
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Latency Period ◽  
Term Therapy ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
Short Term Therapy ◽  
Difficult Issue

This review attempts to deal with the complex issues involved in the time to heal, with special reference to psychological processes. The questions of convalescence and relapse in organic medicine are explored and extrapolated to psychiatric processes. The concept of a latency period of change in treatment outcome is discussed with reference to both less complicated reactive states as well as highly charged neurotic processes. The problems of recognizing slow but perceptible change and separating it from failure to respond is analysed. The value of long-term psychotherapy is assessed and comparison made with the newer concept of short-term therapy. Crisis therapy and disaster reactions are discussed within the concept of time to heal. Finally the difficult issue of “miraculous cure” with its therapeutic implications is evaluated.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document