“I Need You!” Patients’ Care Dependency Patterns During Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders and Its Association with Symptom Reduction and Wish for Treatment Continuation

Abstract Different views exist regarding the nature of patients’ dependency in psychotherapy (trait versus contextual dependency), and its impact on treatment outcome duration. Therefore we examined whether levels care changed over time during a 9-month period, was related to symptom reduction wish for continuation at end treatment. Participants this longitudinal study were 113 patients ( M age = 33.6, 78% female) with personality disorders receiving inpatient or daycare group psychotherapy. Both increases decreases different aspects found course Decreases larger reduction, higher dependency, especially lack perceived alternative options current treatment, stronger continue their Changes mainly supports view decreasing may have beneficial effects. However, also lead prolonged Clinical implications therapists are presented.