NCT06682104

ISTDP for Patients with Treatment Resistance PPS

Individual Intensive Short Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Patients with Treatment Resistance Persistent Physical Symptoms

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Daniel Maroti · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Intensive Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) for Treatment-Resistant Persistent Physical Symptoms is a therapeutic approach designed to help patients whose physical symptoms have not responded to traditional medical or psychological treatments. These persistent physical symptoms (PPS) often include conditions such as chronic pain, fatigue, or gastrointestinal issues, where a psychological component may be involved. ISTDP focuses on identifying and addressing unconscious emotional conflicts, which are thought to contribute to or exacerbate physical symptoms. The therapy encourages patients to recognize and express repressed emotions, such as anger, sadness, or fear, which may manifest somatically if left unresolved. For patients with treatment-resistant PPS, ISTDP offers a focused, time-limited intervention aimed at breaking the cycle of emotional suppression and physical symptomatology. The method involves intense therapeutic engagement, fostering a direct experience of emotions in a controlled environment. Through this process, patients often gain emotional awareness and experience symptom relief. Research on ISTDP in this population suggests that it can effectively reduce the severity of physical symptoms, improve emotional well-being, and enhance overall functioning when other treatments have not yielded significant results. For patients with treatment-resistant PPS, ISTDP offers a focused, time-limited intervention aimed at breaking the cycle of emotional suppression and physical symptomatology. The method involves intense therapeutic engagement, fostering a direct experience of emotions in a controlled environment. Through this process, patients often gain emotional awareness and experience symptom relief. Research on ISTDP for this population suggests that it can be effective in reducing the severity of physical symptoms, improving emotional well-being, and increasing overall functioning when other treatments have failed to produce significant results.

Conditions

• Somatic Symptom Disorder
• Persistent Physical Symptoms
• Functional Somatic Syndrome
• Functional Somatic Disorder
• Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Individual intensive short term psychodynamic therapy	ISTDP aims to help patients explore and process unconscious emotions, particularly those linked to past trauma or unresolved conflicts, that may be contributing to their physical symptoms. Patients are guided to identify and express repressed feelings such as anger, grief, or fear. The therapist actively engages the patient in a focused and intensive manner, helping them to recognize emotional defenses, break through resistance, and experience these emotions directly in the therapeutic setting.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-02-01
• Primary completion: 2025-12-31
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2024-11-12
• Last updated: 2024-11-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Sweden