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Diagnostics & Therapy

Research on Psychodynamic Diagnostics

21. März 2025

Stephan Doering and Susanne Hörz-Sagstetter

Research on Psychodynamic Diagnostics

For psychodynamic diagnostics evidence is provided by a number of interview-based approaches. Mainly personality functioning has been focused for decades, but comprehensive systems like the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD, 2023), additionally offer diagnosis of interpersonal behavior as well as neurotic conflict. Also, other psychodynamic constructs like defense mechanisms, mentalization (Reflective Functioning) or attachment can be assessed by self-reports and interviews and have been employed in various international studies.

  • Research on Operationalized      Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD Task Force 2013): Interview and      questionnaires (Ehrenthal et al., 2012; )

  • Research on Psychodynamic      Diagnostic Manual (Lingiardi et al. 2017)

  • Research on diagnostics of      personality organization – interviews (Clarkin et al. 2004; Leichsenring      1999) Wallerstein et al., 1989 ; OPD, 2023

  • Research on diagnostics of      personality functioning according to the DSM-5 Alternative Model and      according to ICD-11 (Blüml & Doering, 2022; Hörz-Sagstetter et al.      2022; Hutsebaut et al., 2017; Kampe et al. 2018; Ohse et al. 2022; Vierl      et al. ,2023)

  • Research on diagnostics of      personality organization – questionnaires (Dinger et al. 2014; Ehrenthal      et al. 2023; Hörz-Sagstetter et al., 2021; Leichsenring, 1999; Lenzenweger      et al. 2001; Vierl et al., 2023; Zimmermann et al. 2013, 2015)

  • Research on diagnostics of      object relations and attachment (Buchheim et al., 2017; George & West,      2012; George, Kalpaln & Main, 1985; Westen 1995; Hilsenroth et al.      2004; Diamond et al., 2023; …)

  • Research on diagnostics of      neurotic conflict ((OPD Task Force 2013) Connolly et al., 1999; Henkel et      al., 2022; McCarthy et al., 2008)

  • Research on diagnostics of      Reflective Functioning (Fonagy et al., 1998; Fonagy et al., 1996;      Fischer-Kern et al., 2015; Levy et al., 2006)

  • Research on diagnostics of      Defenses (Bond, 2004; Cramer, 2015; DiGiuseppe et al., 2020; Kampe et al.,      2021; Perry & Cooper, 1989)

References
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  • Buchheim, A., Hörz-Sagstetter, S., Doering, S., Rentrop, M., Buchheim, P., Schuster, P., Pokorny, D. & Fischer-Kern, M. (2017). Change of Unresolved Attachment in Borderline Personality Disorder: RCT Study of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 86, 314–316

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  • Henkel, M., Benecke, C., Masuhr, O., Jaeger, U., & Spitzer, C. (2022). Reliabilität und Validität des OPD-Konfliktfragebogens bei stationären Psychotherapiepatient*innen. Zeitschrift Fur Psychosomatische Medizin Und Psychotherapie, 68(1), 39–53. https://doi.org/10.13109/zptm.2022.68.1.39

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