First Experimental Study of Transference-Interpretations (FEST)

August 24, 2007 updated by: University of Oslo

First Experimental Study of Transference Interpretations (FEST)

Analysis of the ongoing patient-therapist interaction, the transference, is considered a key active ingredient in psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.However, one century after Sigmund Freuds's famous "Dora" case, the first clinical description of transference, no study of transference interpretations have been published.In the present study 100 out-patients were randomized to receive one year weekly dynamic psychotherapy, with and without transference interpretations. That is, one treatment component,transference interpretations, were added to a comparison condition, therapy of the same format, by the same therapists, but without use of transference interpretation.

All treatment session were audiotaped, and treatment integrity have been carefully checked. Patients were evaluated at treatment termination, one year after treatment termination and three years after treatment termination. Enrollment of patients started january 1993, and all follow-up evaluations completed by December 2005.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study is designed to measure specific long-term effects of transference interpretations in dynamic psychotherapy, using an experimental dismantling design. One hundred psychiatric out-patients, referred to seven study therapists, to receive exploratory dynamic psychotherapy, were randomized to one year weekly dynamic psychotherapy, with and without transference interpretations.They suffered from mood,anxiety,and personality disorders or interpersonal problems not due to a mental disorder. All treatment sessions were audiotaped and treatment integrity carefully checked.All patients have been evaluated before treatment, after treatment, one year after termination of treatment, and three years after termination of treatment. The main outcome measures were the Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS) and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex version (IIP-C).Chang over time is assessed using linear mixed model analyses.

The main hypothesis is that patients treated with transference interpretations will have a more favourable course over the whole study period of four years.

The second hypothesis is that suitable patients, that is patients with a life long pattern of more mature object relations (QOR) and/or patients without comorbid personality disorders will do better with transference interpretations.

Insight and identification with the therapist will be analyzed as putative mediators of long-term change in interpersonal functioning

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

100

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Norway
      • Oslo, Norway, 0881 Oslo
        • Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

20 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 20 - 60 years
  • Diagnoses Mood-disorder, non-psychotic
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Personality disorders
  • Interpersonal problems not due to a mental disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Psychotic disorders
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Organic brain disorder
  • Substance abuse
  • Long-term (years) disability
  • Mental retardation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
The Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS), clinician rated
Inventory if Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex version (IIP-C), self-report

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
The Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF)
Global Severity Index (GSI) from SCL-90-R

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Oslo

Collaborators

The Research Council of Norway

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Per Høglend, M.D. Ph. D., Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Unoversity of Oslo

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 1993

Study Completion

December 1, 2005

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 16, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 16, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

January 18, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

August 27, 2007

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 24, 2007

Last Verified

August 1, 2007

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • FEST307/95

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Personality Disorders

Clinical Trials on Brief dynamic psychotherapy

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Colombia

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe