Journal article

Publication year: 2018

Journal: PLoS ONE

Volume number: 13

Issue number: 3

ISSN: 1932-6203

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192802

Publisher: Public Library of Science

Abstract: 

Objectives

Within a randomized controlled trial contrasting the outcome of manualized cognitive-behavioral (CBT) and short term psychodynamic therapy (PDT) compared to a waiting list condition (the SOPHO-Net trial), we set out to test whether self-reported attachment characteristics change during the treatments and if these changes differ between treatments.

Research design and methods

495 patients from the SOPHO-Net trial (54.5% female, mean age 35.2 years) who were randomized to either CBT, PDT or waiting list (WL) completed the partner-related revised Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (ECR-R) before and after treatment and at 6 and 12 months follow-up. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) was administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 6-month and 1-year follow-up. ECR-R scores were first compared to a representative healthy sample (n = 2508) in order to demonstrate that the clinical sample differed significantly from the non-clinical sample with respect to attachment anxiety and avoidance.

Results

LSAS scores correlated significantly with both ECR-R subscales. Post-therapy, patients treated with CBT revealed significant changes in attachment anxiety and avoidance whereas patients treated with PDT showed no significant changes. Changes between post-treatment and the two follow-ups were significant in both conditions, with minimal ( insignificant) differences between treatments at the 12-month follow-up.

Conclusions

The current study supports recent reviews of mostly naturalistic studies indicating changes in attachment as a result of psychotherapy. Although there were differences between conditions at the end of treatment, these largely disappeared during the follow-up period which is line with the other results of the SOPHO-NET trial.

Harvard Citation style: Strauss, B., Altmann, U., Manes, S., Tholl, A., Koranyl, S., Nolte, T., et al. (2018) Changes of attachment characteristics during psychotherapy of patients with social anxiety disorder: Results from the SOPHO-Net trial, PLoS ONE, 13(3), Article e0192802. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192802

APA Citation style: Strauss, B., Altmann, U., Manes, S., Tholl, A., Koranyl, S., Nolte, T., Beute, M., Wiltink, J., Herpertz, S., Hiller, W., Hoyer, J., Joraschky, P., Nolting, B., Ritter, V., Stangier, U., Willutzki, U., Selzer, S., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F., ...Kirchmann, H. (2018). Changes of attachment characteristics during psychotherapy of patients with social anxiety disorder: Results from the SOPHO-Net trial. PLoS ONE. 13(3), Article e0192802. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192802