Examining childhood experiences and personality functioning as potential predictors for the speed of recovery during psychotherapy of patients with anxiety disorders.

Background

Adverse childhood experiences were previously identified as relevant risk factors for the development of anxiety disorders. Furthermore, anxiety disorders were shown to be associated with impairments of personality functioning. The objective of this study was to investigate adverse and protective childhood experiences as well as personality functioning, as defined by the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis system, as potential predictors for the speed of recovery during psychotherapy for patients with anxiety disorders.

Methods

The sample consisted of

Results

The presence of adverse childhood experiences predicted a lower speed of recovery during psychotherapy. In addition, a higher number of adverse childhood experiences was associated with greater impairments in the abilities of perception and regulation as dimensions of personality functioning. A higher number of protective childhood experiences was associated with fewer impairments in the communication and attachment dimensions. Impairments in personality functioning in patients with anxiety disorders did not predict the speed of recovery during psychotherapy.

Conclusions

Among patients with anxiety disorders, adverse childhood experiences lead to a lower speed of recovery during psychotherapy. Therefore, childhood adversity should be routinely assessed before and thoroughly addressed during psychotherapy in patients with anxiety disorders.

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 Nowak, Nikendei, Rollmann, Orth, Friederich and Kindermann.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.