The relationship between general psychopathology in young people with family functioning and engagement with psychotherapy.

Objective: to examine whether an underlying general psychopathology factor (p factor) existed in children and adolescents attending psychodynamic psychotherapy and whether this general psychopathology factor was associated with family functioning and engagement with psychotherapy.

Method: Participants were 1976 children and adolescents, and their families, who sought psychodynamic psychotherapy from a community-based clinic in Southern Brazil. The Child Behavior Checklist and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales for assessing symptoms and family functioning were used, with treatment engagement data available through linked records.

What is the appropriate time to measure outcome and process factors in psychodynamic psychotherapy?

Introduction: Different instruments and methods for measuring factors related to the progress and effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) have been widely discussed in the literature. However, there are no established guidelines on the most appropriate time to perform these measurements.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to problematize what is the appropriate time to measure the initial outcomes (symptoms, interpersonal relationships, quality, and social role) and process factors (alliance) in the early stages of PDT.

Is it all grist to the mill? Wandering between indications for psychoanalytic treatment and the analytic field.

Determining the indications and contraindications for psychoanalytic treatment seems crucial to achieve therapeutic success and improve treatment effectiveness. In reviewing the classic literature on the topic, aspects such as age, diagnosis, motivation for treatment, present moment in life, ability to gain insight, psychic suffering when seeking treatment, defensive behaviors, and frustration tolerance are clearly analyzed by therapists/analysts when indicating psychoanalytic treatments. However, traditionally, most criteria underlying such indications date back to a time when the therapeutic relationship was viewed merely as a therapist treating a patient, with no regard to the therapeutic relationship itself.