Patients’ thoughts on effective psychotherapy

Authors

  • Ola Lindgren County Council of Värmland, Sweden
  • Kjerstin Almqvist University of Karlstad and the County Council of Värmland, Sweden.
  • Per Folkesson

Keywords:

Empathy; grounded theory; interviews, unstructured; mental health and illness; psychology; relationships, patient- provider; research, qualitative

Abstract

Earlier studies of patients’ experiences in psychotherapy identify relationship factors as being significant for patients. Our aim in this study conducted in accord with grounded theory, was to explore in some depth patients’ thoughts about what is effective in psychotherapy and thereby increase our knowledge about the process

of psychotherapy from a patient perspective. Data were collected in open interviews that provided rich and varied information. Several informants had been in more than one therapy and thus, eight interviews provided data about sixteen psychotherapies. The core concept that emerged from the data was that of the therapist’s responsive acceptance. This concept provides an answer to the question “What do patients think is effective in psychotherapy?” If the therapist is responsive and accepting, the mutual interplay between the patient and the therapist becomes productive and collaborative. On the other hand, if responsive acceptance falters, the whole therapy process is at risk.

Author Biographies

Ola Lindgren, County Council of Värmland, Sweden

Ola Lindgren, licentiate in psychology, is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist at the County Council of Värmland, Sweden.

Corresponding author: Ola Lindgren, Psykiatrins FoU-enhet, Centralsjukhuset, S-65185 Karlstad, Sweden.

Email: [email protected]

Kjerstin Almqvist, University of Karlstad and the County Council of Värmland, Sweden.

Kjerstin Almqvist, PhD, is a professor in medical psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of

Karlstad and the County Council of Värmland, Sweden.

Per Folkesson

Per Folkesson, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in private practice and researcher at the R&D Unit in Social Welfare, County of Värmland, and Department of Psychology, University of Karlstad, Sweden.

Published

08/23/2014

How to Cite

Lindgren, O., Almqvist, K., & Folkesson, P. (2014). Patients’ thoughts on effective psychotherapy. European Journal for Qualitative Research in Psychotherapy, (7), 4–21. Retrieved from https://ejqrp.org/index.php/ejqrp/article/view/41

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Section

Articles