Experiences of overcoming depression in young adults in psychoanalytic psychotherapy

The study aims to explore the process of overcoming depression as experienced by young adult psychotherapy patients. Seventeen patients in individual or group psychotherapy with diagnoses within the depression spectrum were interviewed at termination of psychotherapy and at 1.5 years' follow-up...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European Journal of Psychotherapy 2010-06, Vol.12 (2), p.129-147
Main Authors: von Below, Camilla, Werbart, Andrzej, Rehnberg, Susanna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
depression
Grounded theory
Mental depression
patients' perspective
Psychoanalysis
psychoanalytic psychotherapy
Psychology
Psychotherapy
Psykologi
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Socialvetenskap
Young adults
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Summary:The study aims to explore the process of overcoming depression as experienced by young adult psychotherapy patients. Seventeen patients in individual or group psychotherapy with diagnoses within the depression spectrum were interviewed at termination of psychotherapy and at 1.5 years' follow-up. Grounded theory analysis of transcripts resulted in 15 distinct categories, organized into five general domains: experiences of positive change, in-therapy contributions to positive change, extra-therapeutic contributions to positive change, obstacles in therapy and negative experienced outcomes. Exploration of interplay between these domains resulted in a process model for the way out of depression. The positive changes experienced extended beyond symptom relief. The patients emphasised finding out how they wanted to live and how they started forming their lives in that direction. Obstacles in therapy interplayed with the experience of being stuck in depression. These findings are related to age-specific challenges on the threshold of adulthood.
ISSN:1364-2537
1469-5901
1469-5901
DOI:10.1080/13642537.2010.482745