Time dependency of psychotherapeutic exchanges: the contribution of the theory of dynamic systems in analyzing process

Abstract

This paper provides a general framework for the use of Theory of Dynamic Systems (TDS) in the field of psychotherapy research. Psychotherapy is inherently dynamic, namely a function of time. Consequently, the improvement of construct validity and clinical relevance of psychotherapy process research require the development of models of investigation allowing dynamic mappings of clinical exchange. Thus, TDS becomes a significant theoretical and methodological reference. The paper focuses two topics. First, the main concepts of TDS are briefly introduced together with a basic typology of approaches developed within this domain. Second, we propose a repertoire of investigation strategies that can be used to capture the dynamic nature of clinical exchange. In this way we intend to highlight the feasibility and utility of strategies of analysis informed by TDS.

Keywords: dynamic systems; non-linearity; pattern analysis; psychotherapy process; self-organization; sequence analysis; synergetics.

Figure 1

An example of non-linear trend.

Figure 2

The bifurcation route to chaos. (A) The dynamics of the system in a function of the control parameter (r). A bifurcation emerges when r > 3.45 (approximately). (B) The butterfly effect: the two systems are regulated by the same equation, have the same control parameter (r = 3.894 – beyond the threshold for chaotic dynamics: r > 3.45) and very similar-but not identical-starting points (x = 0.6; x = 0.5999).

Figure 3

Correlation between activity and super-order nodes (DFA indexes) within five session subsets from Salvatore et al. (2009).