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Klocek A, Premus J, Řiháček T. Applying dynamic systems theory and complexity theory methods in psychotherapy research: A systematic literature review. Psychother Res 2024; 34:828-844. [PMID: 37652751 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2252169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Dynamic systems theory and complexity theory (DST/CT) is a framework explaining how complex systems change and adapt over time. In psychotherapy, DST/CT can be used to understand how a person's mental and emotional state changes during therapy incorporating higher levels of complexity. This study aimed to systematically review the variability of DST/CT methods applied in psychotherapy research. METHODS A primary studies search was conducted in the EBSCO and Web of Knowledge databases, extracting information about the analyzed DST/CT phenomena, employed mathematical methods to investigate these phenomena, descriptions of specified dynamic models, psychotherapy phenomena, and other information regarding studies with empirical data (e.g., measurement granularity). RESULTS After screening 38,216 abstracts and 4,194 full texts, N = 41 studies published from 1990 to 2021 were identified. The employed methods typically included measures of dynamic complexity or chaoticity. Computational and simulation studies most often employed first-order ordinary differential equations and typically focused on describing the time evolution of client-therapist dyadic influences. Eligible studies with empirical data were usually based on case studies and focused on data with high time intensity of within-session dynamics. CONCLUSION This review provides a descriptive synthesis of the current state of the proliferation of DST/CT methods in the psychotherapy research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Klocek
- Faculty of Social Studies, Psychology Research Institute, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Tomáš Řiháček
- Faculty of Social Studies, Department of Psychology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Coutinho JF, Penttonen M, Tourunen A, Seikkula J, Peräkylä A, Tschacher W, Kykyri VL. Electrodermal and respiratory synchrony in couple therapy in distinct therapeutic subsystems and reflection periods. Psychother Res 2023:1-16. [PMID: 38158832 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2294886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Synchrony in the multi-person context of systemic therapy is a complex and understudied phenomenon. We analyzed respiratory and electrodermal synchronies within a couple therapy system with two therapists to determine whether dyadic subsystems between each client and therapist synchronized differently. We also studied synchrony in reflection periods, in which the therapists discussed the therapy process with clients listening. Finally, we examined the association of synchronies with alliance and outcome.Method: A sample of 22 therapy sessions in which electrodermal activity (EDA) and respiration were recorded were analyzed. Self-report measures of session alliance and outcome were obtained. Synchrony computation was based on windowed cross-correlation using surrogate synchrony and segment-wise shuffling of physiological time series.Results: The results supported the presence of EDA synchrony for the client-therapist and therapist-therapist dyads but not client-client dyads across entire sessions. No significant synchronies were found for respiration behavior. A similar picture was found in reflection periods. Clients' well-being as well as therapists' alliance ratings were significant predictors of client-client EDA synchrony.Conclusion: Our results point to the relational meaning of synchrony and its importance for understanding couple psychotherapy, particularly the reflection periods. Challenges involved in extending synchrony computation to multi-person settings were highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana F Coutinho
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology School, Minho University, Campus Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Markku Penttonen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Anu Tourunen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jaakko Seikkula
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder
| | - Anssi Peräkylä
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Tschacher
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Virpi-Liisa Kykyri
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
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Diaz P, Peluso PR, Freund R, Baker AZ, Peña G. Understanding the role of emotion and expertise in psychotherapy: An application of dynamical systems mathematical modeling to an entire course of therapy. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:980739. [PMID: 37113548 PMCID: PMC10126830 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.980739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The therapeutic relationship continues to be one of the most important factors in therapeutic outcomes. Given the place of emotion in the definition of the therapeutic relationship, as well as the demonstrated positive impact that emotional expression has on therapeutic process and outcome, it stands to reason that studying the emotional exchange between the therapist and client further would be warranted. Methods This study used a validated observational coding system--the Specific Affect Coding System (SPAFF) and a theoretical mathematical model to analyze behaviors which make up the therapeutic relationship. Specifically, the researchers used to codify relationship-building behaviors between an expert therapist and his client over the course of six sessions. Dynamical systems mathematical modeling was also employed to create "phase space portraits" depicting the relational dynamics between the master therapist and his client over six sessions. Results Statistical analysis was used to compare SPAFF codes and model parameters between the expert therapist and his client. The expert therapist showed stability in affect codes over six sessions while the client's affect codes appeared to be more flexible over time, though model parameters remained stable across the six sessions. Finally, phase space portraits depicted the evolution of the affective dynamics between the master therapist and his client as the relationship matured. Discussion The clinician's ability to stay emotionally positive and relatively stable across the six sessions (relative to the client) was noteworthy. It formed the basis for a stable base from which she could explore alternative methods to relate to others that she had allowed to dictate her actions, which is in keeping with previous research on the role of therapist facilitation of the therapeutic relationship, emotional expression within the therapeutic relationship, and influence of these on client outcomes. These results provide a valuable foundation for future research on emotional expression as a key component of the therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Diaz
- Department of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE, United States
- Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Paul R. Peluso
- Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Paul R. Peluso,
| | - Robert Freund
- Department of Counseling, Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Andrew Z. Baker
- Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Comprehensive Wellness Center, Lantana, FL, United States
| | - Gabriel Peña
- Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Comprehensive Wellness Center, Lantana, FL, United States
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Avdi E, Paraskevopoulos E, Lagogianni C, Kartsidis P, Plaskasovitis F. Studying Physiological Synchrony in Couple Therapy through Partial Directed Coherence: Associations with the Therapeutic Alliance and Meaning Construction. ENTROPY 2022; 24:e24040517. [PMID: 35455180 PMCID: PMC9025171 DOI: 10.3390/e24040517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In line with the growing recognition of the role of embodiment, affect and implicit processes in psychotherapy, several recent studies examine the role of physiological synchrony in the process and outcome of psychotherapy. This study aims to introduce Partial Directed Coherence (PDC) as a novel approach to calculating psychophysiological synchrony and examine its potential to contribute to our understanding of the therapy process. The study adopts a single-case, mixed-method design and examines physiological synchrony in one-couple therapy in relation to the therapeutic alliance and a narrative analysis of meaning construction in the sessions. Interpersonal Physiological Synchrony (IPS) was calculated, via a windowed approach, through PDC of a Heart Rate Variability-derived physiological index, which was measured in the third and penultimate sessions. Our mixed-method analysis shows that PDC quantified significant moments of IPS within and across the sessions, modeling the characteristics of interpersonal interaction as well as the effects of therapy on the interactional dynamics. The findings of this study point to the complex interplay between explicit and implicit levels of interaction and the potential contribution of including physiological synchrony in the study of interactional processes in psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evrinomy Avdi
- Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece; (C.L.); (F.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-231-099-7363
| | | | - Christina Lagogianni
- Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece; (C.L.); (F.P.)
| | - Panagiotis Kartsidis
- School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Fotis Plaskasovitis
- Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece; (C.L.); (F.P.)
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Tourunen A, Nyman-Salonen P, Muotka J, Penttonen M, Seikkula J, Kykyri VL. Associations Between Sympathetic Nervous System Synchrony, Movement Synchrony, and Speech in Couple Therapy. Front Psychol 2022; 13:818356. [PMID: 35360617 PMCID: PMC8961511 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.818356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Research on interpersonal synchrony has mostly focused on a single modality, and hence little is known about the connections between different types of social attunement. In this study, the relationship between sympathetic nervous system synchrony, movement synchrony, and the amount of speech were studied in couple therapy. Methods Data comprised 12 couple therapy cases (24 clients and 10 therapists working in pairs as co-therapists). Synchrony in electrodermal activity, head and body movement, and the amount of speech and simultaneous speech during the sessions were analyzed in 12 sessions at the start of couple therapy (all 72 dyads) and eight sessions at the end of therapy (48 dyads). Synchrony was calculated from cross-correlations using time lags and compared to segment-shuffled pseudo synchrony. The associations between the synchrony modalities and speech were analyzed using complex modeling (Mplus). Findings Couple therapy participants' synchrony mostly occurred in-phase (positive synchrony). Anti-phase (negative) synchrony was more common in movement than in sympathetic nervous system activity. Synchrony in sympathetic nervous system activity only correlated with movement synchrony between the client-therapist dyads (r = 0.66 body synchrony, r = 0.59 head synchrony). Movement synchrony and the amount of speech correlated negatively between spouses (r = -0.62 body synchrony, r = -0.47 head synchrony) and co-therapists (r = -0.39 body synchrony, r = -0.28 head synchrony), meaning that the more time the dyad members talked during the session, the less bodily synchrony they exhibited. Conclusion The different roles and relationships in couple therapy were associated with the extent to which synchrony modalities were linked with each other. In the relationship between clients and therapists, synchrony in arousal levels and movement "walked hand in hand", whereas in the other relationships (spouse or colleague) they were not linked. Generally, more talk time by the therapy participants was associated with anti-phase movement synchrony. If, as suggested, emotions prepare us for motor action, an important finding of this study is that sympathetic nervous system activity can also synchronize with that of others independently of motor action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anu Tourunen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Petra Nyman-Salonen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Joona Muotka
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Markku Penttonen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jaakko Seikkula
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Virpi-Liisa Kykyri
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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Moulder RG, Daniel KE, Teachman BA, Boker SM. Tangle: A metric for quantifying complexity and erratic behavior in short time series. Psychol Methods 2022; 27:82-98. [PMID: 33507767 PMCID: PMC8552416 DOI: 10.1037/met0000386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Temporal complexity refers to qualities of a time series that are emergent, erratic, or not easily described by linear processes. Quantifying temporal complexity within a system is key to understanding the time based dynamics of said system. However, many current methods of complexity quantification are not widely used in psychological research because of their technical difficulty, computational intensity, or large number of required data samples. These requirements impede the study of complexity in many areas of psychological science. A method is presented, tangle, which overcomes these difficulties and allows for complexity quantification in relatively short time series, such as those typically obtained from psychological studies. Tangle is a measure of how dissimilar a given process is from simple periodic motion. Tangle relies on the use of a three-dimensional time delay embedding of a one-dimensional time series. This embedding is then iteratively scaled and premultiplied by a modified upshift matrix until a convergence criterion is reached. The efficacy of tangle is shown on five mathematical time series and using emotional stability, anxiety time series data obtained from 65 socially anxious participants over a 5-week period, and positive affect time series derived from a single participant who experienced a major depression episode during measurement. Simulation results show tangle is able to distinguish between different complex temporal systems in time series with as few as 50 samples. Tangle shows promise as a reliable quantification of irregular behavior of a time series. Unlike many other complexity quantification metrics, tangle is technically simple to implement and is able to uncover meaningful information about time series derived from psychological research studies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Abstract
Clinical neuroimaging has largely been limited to examining the neurophysiological outcomes of treatments for psychiatric conditions rather than the neurocognitive mechanisms by which these outcomes are brought about as a function of clinical strategies, and the cognitive neuroscientific research aiming to investigate these mechanisms in nonclinical and clinical populations has been ecologically challenged by the extent to which tasks represent and generalize to intervention strategies. However, recent technological and methodological advancements to neuroimaging techniques such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy and functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based hyperscanning provide novel opportunities to investigate the mechanisms of change in more naturalistic and interactive settings, representing a unique prospect for improving our understanding of the intra- and interbrain systems supporting the recogitation of dysfunctional cognitive operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E. Crum II
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College
London, London, UK
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Baker AZ, Peluso PR, Freund R, Diaz P, Ghaness A. Using dynamical systems mathematical modeling to examine the impact emotional expression on the therapeutic relationship: A demonstration across three psychotherapeutic theoretical approaches. Psychother Res 2021; 32:223-237. [PMID: 33955816 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2021.1921303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this paper is to describe an approach to dynamical systems (DS) using a set of differential equations, and how an application of these equations can be used to address a critical element of the therapeutic relationship. Using APA's Three Approaches to Psychotherapy with a Female Client: The Next Generation and Three Approaches to Psychotherapy with a Male Client: The Next Generation videos, DS models were created for each of the six sessions with expert clinicians (Judith Beck, Leslie Greenberg, and Nancy McWilliams) from the three theoretical approaches. Method: A second-by-second observational coding system of the emotional exchanges of the therapists and clients was used as the data for the equations. Results: DS modeling allowed for a side-by-side comparison between the three approaches as well as between the two clients. Examining the graphs created by plotting the results of the DS equations (in particular, phase-space portraits) revealed that there were similarities among the three theoretical approaches, and there were notable differences between the two clients. Conclusions: DS modelling can provide researchers and clinicians with a powerful tool to investigate the complex phenomenon that is psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Z Baker
- Comprehensive Wellness Center, Lantana, FL, USA.,Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Paul R Peluso
- Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Robert Freund
- Comprehensive Wellness Center, Lantana, FL, USA.,Department of Counseling, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Patricia Diaz
- Comprehensive Wellness Center, Lantana, FL, USA.,Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Amrita Ghaness
- Department of Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing body of research highlights the limitations of traditional methods for studying the process of change in psychotherapy. The science of complex systems offers a useful paradigm for studying patterns of psychopathology and the development of more functional patterns in psychotherapy. Some basic principles of change are presented from subdisciplines of complexity science that are particularly relevant to psychotherapy: dynamical systems theory, synergetics, and network theory. Two early warning signs of system transition that have been identified across sciences (critical fluctuations and critical slowing) are also described. The network destabilization and transition (NDT) model of therapeutic change is presented as a conceptual framework to import these principles to psychotherapy research and to suggest future research directions. DISCUSSION A complex systems approach has a number of implications for psychotherapy research. We describe important design considerations, targets for research, and analytic tools that can be used to conduct this type of research. CONCLUSIONS A complex systems approach to psychotherapy research is both viable and necessary to more fully capture the dynamics of human change processes. Research to date suggests that the process of change in psychotherapy can be nonlinear and that periods of increased variability and critical slowing might be early warning signals of transition in psychotherapy, as they are in other systems in nature. Psychotherapy research has been limited by small samples and infrequent assessment, but ambulatory and electronic methods now allow researchers to more fully realize the potential of concepts and methods from complexity science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele M Hayes
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
| | - Leigh A Andrews
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
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Roman-Juan J, Fiol-Veny A, Zuzama N, Caimari-Ferragut M, Bornas X, Balle M. Adolescents at risk of anxiety in interaction with their fathers: Studying non-verbal and physiological synchrony. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:1062-1075. [PMID: 32394488 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a vulnerable period in terms of the onset of anxiety disorders, and dyadic parent-adolescent interactions may play a key role in either increasing or reducing the risk of psychopathologies. This study examines the presence of physiological synchrony (specifically, linkage in interbeat interval series) and non-verbal synchrony in positive and negative interactions between adolescents (aged 13-16) and their fathers. Non-verbal synchrony was quantified through the coordination of the interactants' body movements, using an automated video-analysis algorithm (motion energy analysis). Participants were made up of 53 parent-adolescent dyads, the latter at either low (n = 28) or high (n = 25) risk of anxiety. Adolescents at low risk of anxiety displayed statistically significant levels of non-verbal synchrony with their fathers during positive interactions. Non-verbal synchrony was not found in the father-adolescent dyads featuring adolescents at high risk of anxiety. Physiological synchrony was not significantly present above chance level in either of the groups of adolescents. Overall, the results suggest that adolescents at high risk of anxiety may have difficulties in managing non-distressing interactions with their fathers. The results also suggest that physiological synchrony is not a straightforward phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Roman-Juan
- University Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Aina Fiol-Veny
- University Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Neus Zuzama
- University Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | | | - Xavier Bornas
- University Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Maria Balle
- University Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
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