Premium
The process of change in psychotherapy with a pregnant patient following perinatal losses: An analysis of a case study
Author(s) -
Cohen Keren,
Leibovich Liat,
Markin Rayna,
ZilchaMano Sigal
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.22763
Subject(s) - psychology , psychotherapist , anxiety , interpersonal communication , alliance , interpersonal psychotherapy , narrative review , narrative , clinical psychology , pregnancy , major depressive disorder , randomized controlled trial , attachment theory , interpersonal relationship , depressive symptoms , psychiatry , medicine , mood , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy , surgery , biology , political science , law , genetics
Aim Despite research suggesting increased anxiety and depressive symptoms after a perinatal loss and during future pregnancies, little knowledge exists to guide clinicians treating pregnant women after perinatal loss. This case study explores processes that facilitated therapeutic change for a pregnant patient with major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder after perinatal losses. Method The study integrated quantitative and narrative analyses in a single case derived from the pilot phase of a randomized controlled trial on supportive‐expressive therapy for MDD. Results The quantitative and narrative analyses suggest that an improvement in maladaptive interpersonal patterns toward the therapist, in the form of attachment avoidance, made it possible to form a strong alliance, which in turn led to a successful outcome. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of improving maladaptive interpersonal patterns as a prerequisite to enable patients after pregnancy losses to develop and maintain a corrective therapeutic experience.