Whereas sudden gains and losses (large shifts in symptom severity) patients receiving psychotherapy appear abrupt hence may seem unexpected, hypotheses from complex-systems theory suggest that are actually preceded by certain early-warning signals (EWSs). We tested whether EWSs patients’ daily self-ratings of the psychotherapeutic process predicted future losses. Data were collected 328 for mood disorders who completed about their therapeutic using Therapy Process Questionnaire (TPQ). Sudden...

The feasibility of a high-frequency real-time monitoring approach to psychotherapy is outlined and tested for patients' compliance evaluate its integration everyday practice. Criteria concern the ecological momentary assessment, assessment therapy-related cognitions emotions, equidistant time sampling, nonlinear series analysis, continuous participative process control by client therapist, application idiographic (person-specific) surveys.The process-outcome technically realized an...

Objective: The aim of this article is to outline the role chaotic dynamics in psychotherapy. Besides some empirical findings chaos at different time scales, focus on theoretical modeling change processes explaining and simulating dynamics. It will be illustrated how common factors psychotherapeutic psychological hypotheses motivation, emotion regulation, information processing client's functioning can integrated into a comprehensive nonlinear model human processes. Methods: combines 5...

In recent years, models have been developed that conceive psychotherapy as a self-organizing process of bio-psycho-social systems. These originate from the theory self-organization (Synergetics), deterministic chaos, or approach self-organized criticality. This process-outcome study examines several hypotheses mainly derived Synergetics, including assumption discontinuous changes in (instead linear incremental gains), occurrence critical instabilities temporal proximity pattern transitions,...

Abstract Objective: While destabilization periods characterized by high variability and turbulence in a patient's psychological state might seem obstructive for psychotherapy, complex systems approach to psychopathology predicts that these are actually beneficial as they indicate possibilities reorganization within the patient. The present study tested hypothesis is related better treatment outcome. Method: 328 patients who received psychotherapy mood disorders completed daily self-ratings...

Objective. The aim of this case report is to demonstrate the feasibility a systemic procedure (synergetic process management) including modeling idiographic psychological system and continuous high-frequency monitoring change dynamics in dissociative identity disorder. psychotherapy was realized day treatment center with female client diagnosed borderline personality disorder (BPD) Methods. A three hour long co-creative session at beginning period allowed for network client's cognitions,...

Objective: We examined individual overall trajectories of change and the occurrence sudden gains in daily self-rated problem severity relation these patterns to treatment response. Method: Mood disorder patients (N = 329, mean age 44, 55% women) completed self-ratings about their complaints as a standard part treatment, using Therapy Process Questionnaire (TPQ). Per individual, best-fitting defined (linear, log-linear, 1-step) trajectory was tested for significance: over time, specificity...

The use of ambulatory assessments (AAs) as an approach to gather self-reported questionnaires or self-collected biochemical data is constantly increasing investigate the experiences, states, and behaviors individuals their interaction with external situational factors during everyday life. It often implicitly assumed that from different sampling protocols can be used interchangeably, despite them assessing processes over timescales in intervals at occasions, which depending on variables...

Sturm J, Plöderl M, Fartacek C, Kralovec K, Neunhäuserer D, Niederseer Hitzl W, Niebauer Schiepek G, R. Physical exercise through mountain hiking in high‐risk suicide patients. A randomized crossover trial. Objective: The following pilot study attempts to prove the effects of endurance training Method: Participants ( n = 20) having attempted at least once and clinically diagnosed with hopelessness were randomly distributed among two groups. Group 1 10) began a 9‐week phase followed by...

This study investigates neuronal activation patterns during the psychotherapeutic process, assuming that change dynamics undergo critical instabilities and discontinuous transitions. An internet-based system was used to collect daily self-assessments inpatient therapies. A dynamic complexity measure applied resulting time series. Critical phases of process were indicated by maxima varying complexity. Repeated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements conducted over course...

Abstract The paradigm of complexity science provides a new way to address the problem psychotherapy integration and allows us bypass various shortcomings linear‐interventionist perspective. Nine criteria are outlined, which should be satisfied by any integrative approach psychotherapy: (a) use provide meta‐theoretical generic understanding change processes (from neuronal social system levels); (b) comprehensive formalised modelling personality development; (c) an method case formulation; (d)...

A complex systems approach to psychopathology proposes that general principles lie in the dynamic patterns of psychopathology, which are not restricted specific psychological processes like symptoms or affect.Hence, it must be possible find change profiles time series data fully personalized questionnaires.In current study, we examined self-ratings and related these four measures treatment outcome (International Symptom Rating, 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, daily symptom severity,...

There is increasing evidence that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) associated with a dysfunction of cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical neuronal circuits. In order to examine treatment-related changes in processes, drug-naive female patient OCD (subtype: washing/contamination fear) and an age- gender-matched healthy control were repeatedly tested using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the presentation symptom provocation task. Patient-specific visual stimuli provoking...

Human life changes with time. It seems therefore obvious that most of the phenomena psychology and psychotherapy are concerned dynamic in nature. For human development processes, change learning dynamics prognosis mental disorders, problems manifesting social systems such as couples, families, teams, or question how works, self-organization is ubiquitous. In context self-organization, complexity a quality changing patterns change, produced by nonlinear coupled systems.

In recent years, a number of different authors have stressed the usefulness nonlinear dynamic systems approach in suicide research and prevention. This applies specific methods time series analysis and, consequently, it requires continuous fine-meshed assessment processes under consideration. The technical means for this kind process are now available. paper outlines how suicidal dynamics can be monitored high-risk patients by an Internet-based application self-assessment with integrated...

Theoretical models of psychotherapy not only try to predict outcome but also intend explain patterns change. Studies showed that psychotherapeutic change processes are characterized by nonlinearity, complexity, and discontinuous transitions. By this, theoretical should be able reproduce these dynamic features. Using time series derived from daily measures through internet-based real-time monitoring as empirical reference, we earlier presented a model which includes five state variables four...

Abstract Objective Current approaches of routine outcome monitoring (session‐by‐session measures) expect that trajectories change should move on a standard track. Patients moving out tracks are assumed to be at risk deterioration. From nonlinear dynamic systems perspective, there is not any assumption regarding supposed track patient follow. Individual more complex than averaged tracks, highly individual, and characterised by pattern transitions. Method We tested if high‐frequency (daily)...

Abstract Many outcome measures and session‐related questionnaires in psychotherapy are designed for weekly or biweekly administration. Yet, today, technical developments allow higher frequency assessments to monitor human change dynamics more closely by daily assessments. For this purpose, the Therapy Process Questionnaire (TPQ) was developed, with a specific focus on inpatient psychotherapy. In article, we present an explorative confirmative factor analysis of TPQ basis time series data 150...

Abstract Background Even though recent research indicates that sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood abuse and cause severe distress, current treatments neither address them nor they effective reducing them. This might be due to a lack of understanding symptoms' specific role the often complex comorbid psychopathology abuse. Methods Post-traumatic, dissociative, depressive, were assessed 445 inpatients with Comorbidity structure was...