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Publication
Quando o cliente pensa que não sente e sente o que não pensa : Alexitimia e psicoterapia
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
É repetidamente referido na literatura que pacientes alexitímicos têm piores resultados em psicoterapia. Tendo como referência que as características associadas ao conceito de alexitimia reflectem défices ao nível do processamento emocional, não só ao nível da regulação emocional, mas também dos processos subjacentes, como a consciência e a experienciação emocionais e a expressão e a diferenciação emocional, sugere-se que com pacientes com funcionamento alexitímico seja necessário um maior enfoque terapêutico ao nível das tarefas emocionais. Neste trabalho salientamos as dificuldades que podem ocorrer ao nível da aliança terapêutica e discutem-se as implicações para as tomadas de decisão clínica. Através de uma análise crítica da literatura apontamos a importância de ter em conta esta dimensão na conceptualização de caso, no sentido de antecipar dificuldades ao nível da relação terapêutica e de se optar por objectivos mais focados nos processos subjacentes à alexitimia do que nas suas consequências.
The research literature repeatedly shows patients with alexithymia as having poorer outcomes in psychotherapy. Taking into account that the characteristics associated with the alexithymia construct reflect deficits in the emotional processing, not only with emotional regulation but also with other underlying processes, such as emotional awareness, experiencing, and the expression and differentiation of emotional experience, we suggest that with these patients it is necessary a greater emphasis on emotional tasks. The difficulties regarding therapeutic alliance are highlight and the implications for clinical decision making are discussed. We also suggest taking alexithymia into account on the case conceptualization with the aim of anticipating and reducing difficulties on the therapeutic alliance and to centre the attention in goals more focused on alexithymia functioning then on its consequences.
The research literature repeatedly shows patients with alexithymia as having poorer outcomes in psychotherapy. Taking into account that the characteristics associated with the alexithymia construct reflect deficits in the emotional processing, not only with emotional regulation but also with other underlying processes, such as emotional awareness, experiencing, and the expression and differentiation of emotional experience, we suggest that with these patients it is necessary a greater emphasis on emotional tasks. The difficulties regarding therapeutic alliance are highlight and the implications for clinical decision making are discussed. We also suggest taking alexithymia into account on the case conceptualization with the aim of anticipating and reducing difficulties on the therapeutic alliance and to centre the attention in goals more focused on alexithymia functioning then on its consequences.
Description
Keywords
Alexitimia Processos emocionais Psicoterapia Relação terapêutica Alexithymia Emotional processing Psychotherapy Therapeutic alliance
Citation
Análise Psicológica, 31(2), 197-211