Psychoanalytic Psychology, Vol 42(2), Apr 2025, 96-105; doi:10.1037/pap0000536
This study is an exploratory analysis of trends in the physiological responses of both the psychotherapist and the patient by examining heart rate and electrodermal activity during psychodynamic psychotherapy sessions. The study involved 24 patients diagnosed with neurotic disorders (F40–F48) and/or personality disorders (F60–F61) according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision criteria. The mean age of participants was 32.4 years (SD = 7.2). The sample consisted of 62.5% women (n = 15) and 37.5% men (n = 9). Data were collected from 96 psychodynamic psychotherapy sessions led by two psychotherapists. The statistical analysis involved constructing regression models for four physiological variables: heart rate, skin conductance level, skin conductance response frequency, and skin conductance response amplitude for patients and psychotherapists. Subsequently, scatter plots depicting these variables for patients and psychotherapists were juxtaposed for comparison. Additionally, correlation analysis was performed. The trends in physiological responses in the regression analysis differed significantly: Heart rate remained stable for therapists but decreased for patients, skin conductance level increased for both patients and therapists but rose more sharply for therapists, skin conductance response frequency decreased for patients but remained stable for therapists, and skin conductance response amplitude remained constant for patients but increased for therapists. Correlation analysis revealed that, over a psychotherapy session, all physiological parameters of the psychotherapists increased, while all those of the patients decreased. The findings indicate significantly divergent trends in physiological activity between psychotherapists and patients during psychotherapy sessions, suggesting an antiphase physiological synchrony trend. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)