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Abstract Background Little is known about the influence on outcome of exploration of the patient-therapist relationship (that is, transference work) in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. We hypothesized that depressed adolescents would have better long-term effects from psychoanalytic psychotherapy with than without transference work. Methods Depressed adolescent (16 to 18 years) were recruited in health authority funded out-patient clinics in Oslo and Vestfold County, Norway. They were randomized to 28 weeks of treatment with psychoanalytic psychotherapy with or without transference work. Change was assessed using linear-mixed models. The primary outcome measure was the Psychodynamic Functioning Scale (pre- post-, and 1-year post-treatment). Level of depression was measured at the same time points and during therapy (week 12, and 20). Results 69 adolescents were treated with (N = 39) or without (N = 31) transference work. The mean number of sessions was 18.6 (SD = 8,6) in the transference work group and 18.0 (SD = 10.9) in the non-transference work group. Both groups showed large and significant improvement on Psychodynamic Functioning Scale during the whole study period. The difference between the two groups was not significant during the treatment period (95% CI −.79 to 1.2, p = .674, F = .18), or from post-treatment to one-year follow-up (95% CI −.13 to .96; p = .134; F = 2.3). For the secondary outcome measures the transference work group had significantly better outcomes from 12 weeks in treatment to one-year follow-up (Beck Depression Inventory, 95% CI − 1.7 to −.14, p = .022; Montgomery and Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, 95% CI − 1.6 to −.23, p = .009). Conclusion The findings suggest that exploration of the adolescents’ relations to the therapist amplify the effects of short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy on their depressive symptoms for adolescents with a Major Depressive Disorder. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov . Id: NCT01531101 . Registered 8 February 2012.

Abstract Background Creating a case formulation is an important and basic skill in psychotherapy meant to guide treatment. A patient’s interpersonal pattern is an essential part of a case formulation. Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) is a well-known structured method to describe interpersonal patterns. The CCRT method is based on the assumption that humans display a central relationship theme, which is shown in most relationships as well as in the patient-therapist relation. The CCRT scoring is based on how the patient describes interactions with others, in therapy sessions or in a specific interview. These descriptions are transcribed. Raters then score the identified relational episodes by choosing elements from the clustered categories of Wishes, Response from Others and Response from Self. The method has shown high validity and reliability. Inter rater reliability is generally good: Cohen’s kappa ranging from 0.55 to 0.70. To decide CCRT pattern from transcribed material is time consuming and labour intensive This study investigates a labour- and timesaving version of the method. Methods This study aimed to investigate rater agreement in a simplified method of scoring the CCRT, based directly on live semi-structured dynamic interviews without transcribing the material. Fifty-two patients referred for psychotherapy in a clinical trial, were scored for CCRT pattern. Based on information that came forth during the two-hour interview, raters scored the patients choosing elements from the clustered categories of Wishes, Response from Others and Response from Self. More than one category in each component could be chosen without ranking. Five raters compared two by two were investigated. Inter rater reliability was measured by Cohen’s kappa. Results Mean kappa for Wishes, Response from Others and Response from Self was .33, .41 and .45 respectively. Mean kappa for CCRT in total was .41 among 5 raters. Conclusion In this simplified method to score the CCRT based on oral dynamic interviews, fair to moderate IRR was obtained. Trial registration First Experimental Study of Transference-interpretations (FEST307/95). Registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00423462 .

Abstract Background To bridge the gap between symptoms and treatment, constructing case formulations is essential for clinicians. Limited scientific value has been attributed to case formulations because of problems with quality, reliability, and validity. For understanding, communication, and treatment planning beyond each specific clinician-patient dyad, a case formulation must convey valid information concerning the patient, as well as being a reliable source of information regardless of the clinician’s theoretical orientation. The first aim of the present study is to explore the completeness of unstructured psychodynamic formulations, according to four components outlined in the Case Formulation Content Coding Method (CFCCM). The second aim is to estimate the reliability of independent formulations and their components, using similarity ratings of matched versus mismatched cases. Methods This study explores psychodynamic case formulations as made by two or more experienced clinicians after listening to an evaluation interview. The clinicians structured the formulations freely, with the sole constraint that technical, theory-laden terminology should be avoided. The formulations were decomposed into components after all formulations had been written. Results The results indicated that most formulations were adequately comprehensive, and that overall reliability of the formulations was high (> 0.70) for both experienced and inexperienced clinician raters, although the lower bound reliability estimate of the formulation component deemed most difficult to rate - inferred mechanisms - was marginal, 0.61. Conclusions These results were achieved on case formulations made by experienced clinicians using simple experience-near language and minimizing technical concepts, which indicate a communicative quality in the formulations that make them clinically sound. Trial registration linicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00423462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-018-2781-7., January 18, 2007.