Changes in ego strength in patients with neurotic and personality disorders treated with a short-term comprehensive psychodynamic psychotherapy

Aim. Analysis of changes in ego strength in the course of group psychotherapy in patients treated with neurotic and selected personality disorders (F40-F61, ICD-10). Methods. 82 patients (61 women and 21 men) participated in the study. They underwent intensive short-term group psychotherapy treatment in a day hospital for neurotic and behavioural disorders. The assessment of the patients’ personality functioning was carried out at the onset and the end of the psychotherapy. The assessment was reported as a value on the ego strength scale by means of the MMPI-2 questionnaire. Results. The comparative analysis with the use of the t-Student test for related measurements, which was carried out for the measurement of ego strength values at the onset and the end of the therapy, demonstrated a statistically significant positive change both for the entire examined group and the groups which considered the gender and diagnosis distribution. Conclusions. Short-term intensive comprehensive group psychotherapy with elements of individual psychotherapy results in obtaining the desired changes in the personality functioning manifested through the increase in ego strength.