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Sudden gains in psychotherapy: the role of ambivalence about change

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Resumo:Sudden gains (SG) are large and rapid improvements of symptoms experienced by clients that are related to positive effects on outcome. However, little is known on why SGs happen or what are the mechanisms that underlie them. Ambivalence towards change is a client’s variable related to outcome, however, it has not been previously studied in the context of SGs. Objective: The main purpose of this study was to explore the role of ambivalence in the context of SGs. Method: The sample consisted of 58 outpatients suffering from depression and/or anxiety disorders. The clients were treated using a manualized treatment for emotional disorders at an outpatient university-based clinic. SGs were detected with the Outcome Questionnaire 10.2. Results: 22.4% of the participants experienced a SG, occurring more frequently in session eight. Ambivalence levels dropped after a SG and the multilevel analysis suggested that the trajectory of ambivalence tends to be steeper in sudden-gainers. Contrarily, no association was found between therapeutic alliance and SGs. The results suggest that SGs are associated with ambivalence and reinforce the idea that ambivalence resolution is closely related with treatment success.
Autores principais:Faustino, Divo Octávio Azevedo
Assunto:Ambivalence Ambivalence in psychotherapy questionnaire (APQ) Outcome questionnaire 10.2 (OQ10.2) Sudden gains Therapeutic alliance Aliança terapêutica Ambivalência Ganhos súbitos Ciências Sociais::Psicologia
Ano:2019
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:dissertação de mestrado
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Universidade do Minho
Idioma:inglês
Origem:RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Descrição
Resumo:Sudden gains (SG) are large and rapid improvements of symptoms experienced by clients that are related to positive effects on outcome. However, little is known on why SGs happen or what are the mechanisms that underlie them. Ambivalence towards change is a client’s variable related to outcome, however, it has not been previously studied in the context of SGs. Objective: The main purpose of this study was to explore the role of ambivalence in the context of SGs. Method: The sample consisted of 58 outpatients suffering from depression and/or anxiety disorders. The clients were treated using a manualized treatment for emotional disorders at an outpatient university-based clinic. SGs were detected with the Outcome Questionnaire 10.2. Results: 22.4% of the participants experienced a SG, occurring more frequently in session eight. Ambivalence levels dropped after a SG and the multilevel analysis suggested that the trajectory of ambivalence tends to be steeper in sudden-gainers. Contrarily, no association was found between therapeutic alliance and SGs. The results suggest that SGs are associated with ambivalence and reinforce the idea that ambivalence resolution is closely related with treatment success.