IMPACTO DO ESTILO DEFENSIVO NA PSICOTERAPIA BREVE DA DEPRESSÃO PÓS-PARTO

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the impact of defense style on outcome and its relation to the therapeutic alliance. METHOD: Women with postpartum depression were allocated to a brief psychotherapeutic intervention. To evaluate defense style and the alliance, the Defense Style Questionnaire and the Working Alliance Inventory were employed. The main outcome was the final score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); anxiety and retention in treatment were also evaluated RESULTS: 59 patients were included; forty-six completed the therapy and 65.4% responded (EPDS<10). Intense use of immature defenses was related to the maintenance of depression and anxiety at endpoint, even when controlled for parity and social class. Results tended to confirm a hierarchy of defense styles. There were no significant correlations with the alliance measures at any sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Intense use of immature defenses was a factor of poor prognosis in psychotherapy, independently of the alliance, which strengthens their status as important variables for treatment selection