Abstract

NARDI, Suzana Catanio dos Santos et al. Interaction Structures in the Psychodynamic Therapy of a Patient with Borderline Personality Disorder. Av. Psicol. Latinoam. [online]. 2023, vol.41, n.1, 6.  Epub July 14, 2023. ISSN 1794-4724.  https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/apl/a.9224.

Interaction structures are repetitive patterns of interaction between therapist and patient, even if they are not conscious of it. In empirical research, they help to understand how the process of change in psychotherapy is established. In this sense, the current research used 68 sessions of psychoanalytic psychotherapy in a young patient with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) to identify the interaction structures and their correlation with different moments of treatment. The sessions were recorded on video and later encoded through the Psychotherapy Process Q-Set (PQS) by pairs of judges trained in Q-Sort methodology. A factor analysis of the Q-type of main components was performed based on these data, which indicated four interaction structures. Factor 1: Collaborative; factor 2: Resistance; factor 3: Alliance/Rupture; and factor 4: Support/Encornment. The structures indicated the interaction became a work of maintenance of the collaborative interaction through an empathic position of the therapist, focused on recognizing the patient's internal states. Despite the collaborative work, resistance also appeared as a repetitive pattern. The therapist became more directive with more structured interventions questioning the patient, thus, contributing to the development of the capacity of mentalization. Implications for the psychotherapeutic process and indications for future studies are presented to contribute to the comprehension of the treatment of patients with BPD in psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Keywords : Borderline Personality Disorder; factor analysis; psychotherapeutic process.

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