Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) in the Emergency Department
- Conditions
- Somatic Complaints of Multiple Types
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy
- Registration Number
- NCT00833742
- Lead Sponsor
- Nova Scotia Health Authority
- Brief Summary
Objective: Somatization of emotions accounts for excess Emergency department (ED) visits. Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) has methods to diagnose and manage somatization. We examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of ISTDP diagnostic and treatment methods used for patients with repeated ED presentations for medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUS)
- Detailed Description
Herein we report the methods and outcomes of rapidly-accessed, emotion-focused diagnostic and treatment services for patients presenting to the ED with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Patients who were assessed and referred by ED physicians will serve as a non-randomized condition controlling for some relevant variables. Our a priori hypotheses were that assessed and treated patients would have a reduction in ED visits and self reported symptoms after this intervention and that controls would have a smaller reduction in ED visits if any.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 77
- Unexplained symptoms
- Psychosis, substance abuse, suicidality
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description 1 Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy ISTDP therapy was provided
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Emergency department visits pre and post 1 year
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Brief Symptom Inventory pre and post Patient Satisfaction post
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Capital Health
🇨🇦Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada