Affective Processes in Therapy Sessions in relation to adaptive Affect Expression Between Sessions

Preliminary data from the Intensive Mapping of Psychotherapy Process project (PROCMAP) at Modum Bad were used in this study. The aim was to investigate the relationship between affective processes inside therapy and affect expression between sessions. Affect expression outside therapy, also called new learning, is a relatively unexplored concept. Method: Activating affect, inhibitory affect (in session) and new learning (between sessions) were rated using Achievement of Therapeutic Objectives Scale (ATOS). These ratings were based on video-recorded therapy sessions from the Svartberg, Stiles, and Seltzer study (2004). This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a total of 50 patients, which all met the criteria for cluster C personality disorders. 25 of the patients received short-term dynamic therapy (STDP), while 25 patients received cognitive therapy (CT). Process data from session 6 and session 36 were available. The new learning scale of ATOS is intended to measure the degree that the patient has demonstrated the ability to adaptively express their feelings outside therapy. Hypotheses: Three hypotheses were tested. 1) Can the new learning scale be seen as a measure of outcome? 2) Can early activating affect and inhibitory affect predict change in new learning? 3) Can new learning before session predict activating affect and inhibitory affect? Results: Change in new learning, from early to late in therapy, was found to correlate with change in IIP and SCL-90, supporting the hypothesis that the new learning scale can be seen as a measure of outcome. Activating affect and inhibitory affect at session 6 did not predict change in new learning. New learning session 6 was found to predict activating affect and inhibitory affect session 36. More research is needed to draw causal conclusions