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Minerva Psichiatrica 2008 September;49(3):203-16

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Brief Adlerian psychodynamic psychotherapy: theory and indications

Fassino S. ¹, Amianto F. ¹, Ferrero A. ^{2, 3}

¹ Università di Torino Dipartimento di Neuroscienze Sezione di Psichiatria Ospedale San Giovanni Battista, Torino, Italia 2 Unità di Psicoterapia, DSM TO4, Chivasso Torino, Italia 3 SAIGA Istituto di Ricerca, Torino, Italia

Brief psychotherapy is gaining interest worldwide because of its good cost/effectiveness ratio and proves of efficacy. The aim of the paper was to describe the Brief Adlerian Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (B-APP) a brief, psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy referring to the individual psychology (IP). The B-APP theory refers to the following paradigms: 1) the individual represents a psychosomatic unity integrated in the social context; 2) the individual needs to build and regulate the image of self; and 3) bond patterns regulate human relationships and represent the symbolic fil rouge connecting the elements of the lifestyle. Its objectives are: 1) an at least partial resolution of the focus problem; 2) a decrease or a non-increase of symptoms; and 3) a global increase of quality of life. The results depend on intrapsychic and relational changes. Indications are more relative than absolute. The possibility of identifying a meaningful focus is fundamental. The treatment scheme includes 15 sessions subdivided into 5 phases. B-APP offers a technical approach to brief psychotherapy which is suitable in many fields of psychiatry and liaison medicine such as preventive interventions in at-risk subjects, somatopsychic disorders and liaison psychiatry, personality and eating disorders, and treatment of emotionally disturbed children. It was applied as psychotherapeutic approach in some clinical outcome studies about eating disorders and severe personality disorders displaying a good efficacy.