Goal-focused positive psychotherapy in action: A case study.

OBJECTIVE: This case study describes one client's progression through goal-focused positive psychotherapy (GFPP), a positive psychology inspired treatment. The study aims to contribute a more nuanced understanding of GFPP by illustrating the clinical use of approach goals, hope, positive emotion, and client strengths-interventions that constitute the heart of GFPP. METHOD: The case study methodology illuminates the 33-session treatment of a self-identified European-American heterosexual female in her mid-twenties, presenting with several interpersonal concerns, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The client met the DSM 5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder and borderline personality disorder. RESULTS: Processes and outcomes are documented through clinician and client perceptions, and weekly assessments of symptomatology and subjective well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The case study demonstrates a successful application of positive psychology consistent with GFPP's existential and humanistic psychology roots. The study should provide clinicians and theorists a greater understanding of GFPP processes and perspectives in an applied context.

Predicting inter-hemispheric transfer time from the diffusion properties of the corpus callosum in healthy individuals and schizophrenia patients: a combined ERP and DTI study.

BACKGROUND: Several theories of schizophrenia have emphasized the role of aberrant neural timing in the etiology of the disease, possibly as a consequence of conduction delays caused by structural damage to the white-matter fasciculi. Consistent with this theory, increased inter-hemispheric transmission times (IHTTs) to unilaterally-presented visual stimuli have been reported in patients with schizophrenia. The present study investigated whether or not these IHTT abnormalities could be underpinned by structural damage to the visual fibers of the corpus callosum. METHODS: Thirty three schizophrenia patients and 22 matched controls underwent Event Related Potential (ERP) recording, and a subset of 19 patients and 16 controls also underwent 3T Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI). Unilateral visual stimuli (squares, 2×2 degrees) were presented 6 degrees lateral to either side of a central fixation point. IHTTs (ipsilateral minus contralateral latencies) were calculated for the P1 and N1 components at parietal-occipital sites in current source density-transformed ERPs. The visual fibers of the corpus callosum were extracted with streamline tractography and the diffusion metrics of Fractional Anisotropy (FA) and Mode calculated. RESULTS: While both subject groups exhibited highly significant IHTTs across a range of posterior electrode pairs, and significantly shorter IHTTs from left-to-right hemisphere than vice versa, no significant groupwise differences in IHTT were observed. However, participants' IHTTs were linearly related to their FA and Mode, with longer IHTTs being associated with lower FA and more prolate diffusion ellipsoids. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that IHTTs are estimable from DTI measures of white matter integrity. In light of the range of diffusion abnormalities that have been reported in patients with schizophrenia, particularly in frontal fasciculi, these results support the conjecture that schizophrenia is associated with abnormalities in neural timing.

From cosmetics to compassion: A case study of goal focused positive psychotherapy.

This case study describes the progress of a client receiving goal focused positive psychotherapy over 34 sessions, capturing the subtlety and responsiveness of the theory in action. The client self-identified as a Mexican American heterosexual female in her early 20s who had experienced intense anxiety and recurring bouts of depression since elementary school. The primary therapeutic principles of goal focused positive psychotherapy- including hope, strengths, virtuous approach goals, incremental change, and culture- are described alongside germane interventions (one good thing, capitalization, and self-compassion). The client experienced reduction of the initial symptoms (anxiety, pessimism and low self-worth, and deficits in time management and organization). Beyond symptom diminishment, the client achieved increased agency, clarity of virtuous values, genuine caring for others, engagement with a broader range of feelings, and self-compassion. The client's cultural strengths served as a central resource for growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).