Does assimilation of problematic experiences predict a decrease in symptom intensity?

Basto, Isabel; Stiles, William B.; Rijo, Daniel; Salgado, João

doi:10.1002/cpp.2130

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Yet, detecting statistical significance despite the small sample underlines the magnitude and consistency of the effects. Our results thus converge with previous studies linking improvement in the ability to tolerate the tension between multiple self‐states with symptomatic relief (e.g., Basto et al , 2018; Stiles, 2001). Nonetheless, these findings suggest that both processes are beneficial and have the potential to bring about therapeutic improvement.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…This idea of self‐multiplicity has received significant empirical support from within the framework of the assimilation model (e.g., Basto, Stiles, Rijo, & Salgado, 2018; Stiles, 2002; Stiles & Angus, 2001). The assimilation model is an integrative model, aiming to account for change during therapies of different theoretical orientations.…”

Section: Two‐person Apesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, more research is needed to examine whether this joint progression is associated with treatment outcome. Previous studies were designed as case studies (as in Basto et al, 2018), or they analysed only one session for each client (as in Rudkin et al , 2007). Case study designs only allow for the examination of within‐client effects (i.e., whether sessions in which the client demonstrates higher levels of TPA are also characterized by greater emotional experiencing).…”

Section: Two‐person Apesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ability to move between self‐states and emotional experiencing and processing as predictors of symptomatic change

et al. 2019

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Objectives. Contemporary relational theories consider clients' ability to move between multiple self-states and clients' ability to experience and process emotions to be two therapeutic processes inherently connected and fundamental to growth and change in psychotherapy. The current research aimed to empirically explore these theoretical assumptions by (1) examining the between-and within-client temporal association between clients' levels of ability to move between multiple self-states and clients' emotional experiencing and processing over the course of therapy, and by (2) testing whether this association would be more prominent for clients presenting good treatment outcomes. Method. Based on treatment outcome measures, two contrasting groups were selected, nine successful and nine unsuccessful. Ninety session transcripts (five per client) were analysed using the Two-Person APES (TPA), an extension of the Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale (APES), for the measurement of the ability to move between self-states. Sessions were also analysed using the Experiencing Scale (EXP), for the measurement of emotional experiencing. For all predictors, we disaggregated withinand between-client effects. Results. No association was found between EXP and TPA levels. However, at the between-client level, an interaction effect was found indicating a positive correlation between TPA and EXP only for the good-outcome cases, whereas a negative correlation between these variables was found for the poor-outcome cases. Conclusions. The ability to move between multiple self-states and accessibility to emotional experiencing may be seen as complementary processes enhancing the effectiveness of therapy. However, a high level of one process combined with a low level of the other may be a sign of poor therapeutic outcome. Practitioner points Clients' capacity to negotiate between conflicted self-states and their ability to experience and process emotions are two determinants working in a synergistic way to predict improvement in clients' symptoms. The presence of only one of these psychological processes without the other might be an indication of poor therapeutic outcome.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Two‐person Apesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Two‐person Apesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ability to move between self‐states and emotional experiencing and processing as predictors of symptomatic change

et al. 2019

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“…The inverse association between APES level in one session and symptom intensity in the following session in Alice’s case was consistent with broader evidence that assimilation progress precedes therapeutic change as indexed by standard symptom intensity measures ( Basto et al, 2018 ). Theoretically, the dialog between the problematic voice and the community promotes the assimilation of the problematic voice, and this assimilation underlies progress toward to a state of wellbeing.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

“…A problematic experience’s assimilation into the self can evolve from level 0, where the problematic experience is completely out of awareness, to level 7 where the problematic experience is completely integrated into the self. Achieving higher APES levels during therapy is associated with good outcome ( Detert et al, 2006 ; Basto et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluctuation in the Assimilation of Problematic Experiences: A Case Study of Dynamic Systems Analysis

et al. 2018

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Dynamic systems theory suggests that instability can be a key element in the promotion of human change processes. Several studies have confirmed an association between unstable patterns and successful psychotherapeutic outcome. Somewhat similarly, the assimilation model of psychotherapeutic change argues that clinical change occurs through the integration of problematic experiences that initially threaten the stability of the self. This study examined how instability in assimilation levels was related to assimilation progress and change in symptom intensity, within and across sessions, in a good-outcome case of Emotion Focused Therapy. We used the assimilation of problematic experiences scales (APES) to measure assimilation and the outcome-questionnaire (OQ-10) to measure clinical symptom intensity. To assess assimilation instability, we used a fluctuation measure that calculated the amplitude and the frequency of changes in assimilation levels. To analyze the structural relationships between variables we used a dynamic factor model. The results showed that APES level and APES fluctuation tended to increase across treatment, while OQ-10 scores tended to decrease. However, contrary to expectations, the dynamic factor model showed no significant associations between APES fluctuation and OQ-10 scores either within sessions or between adjacent sessions.

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Have I Been Here Before? The Script System in Clinical Supervision

van Rijn,

Sills,

Stiles

et al. 2024

Transactional Analysis Journal

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Does assimilation of problematic experiences predict a decrease in symptom intensity?

Cited by 16 publications

References 52 publications

Ability to move between self‐states and emotional experiencing and processing as predictors of symptomatic change

Ability to move between self‐states and emotional experiencing and processing as predictors of symptomatic change

Fluctuation in the Assimilation of Problematic Experiences: A Case Study of Dynamic Systems Analysis

Have I Been Here Before? The Script System in Clinical Supervision

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