Ole André Solbakken

Frederiksen, Christina; Kjaersdam Telléus, Gry & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2023). Psychometric properties of the affect integration inventory – short form in a sample of patients with personality disorder. Frontiers in Psychology. ISSN 1664-1078. 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191752.

Sønderland, Nils Martin; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Eilertsen, Dag Erik; Nordmo, Magnus & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2023). Emotional Changes and Outcomes in Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000814.

Melsom, Linne; Ulvenes, Pål Gunnar; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Curran, Patrick J.; Eielsen, Karl Mikkel Veum & Wampold, Bruce E.(2023). Self-Compassion and Fear of Compassion in the Treatment of Chronic Depression: Mechanisms of Change? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X.doi: 10.1037/ccp0000822.

Holsen, Maria; Holman, Per Arne; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Lien, Lars(2023). Geografisk variasjon i vaksnes bruk av avtalespesialistar og DPS i psykisk helsevern. Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening. ISSN 0332-6470. doi: 10.52734/IHAK9103.Fulltekst i vitenarkivVis sammendrag

Visted, Endre; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Mæland, Silje; Fadnes, Lars T.; Bjerrum, Louise & Nordhus, Inger Hilde [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Validation of a brief version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16) with an older Norwegian population. European Journal of Ageing. ISSN 1613-9372. 20. doi: 10.1007/s10433-023-00775-w. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Vølstad, Astrid; Salas, Maria Ingunnsdatter & Solbakken, Ole Andre(2023). Driven or lacking access: Integration types as a subdimension of the affect consciousness construct. Frontiers in Psychology. ISSN 1664-1078. 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.968737.

Rosenström, Tom H.; Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Saarni, Suoma E. (2023). Direction of dependence analysis for pre-post assessments using non-Gaussian methods: a tutorial.Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2167526.

Yang, Fan; Wangen, Knut Reidar; Victor, Mattias Erik; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Holman, Per Arne (2022). Referral assessment and patient waiting time decisions in specialized mental healthcare: an exploratory study of early routine collection of PROM (LOVePROM). BMC Health Services Research. ISSN 1472-6963. 22(1). doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08877-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Mylläri, Sanna; Saarni, Suoma Eeva; Ritola, Ville; Joffe, Grigori; Stenberg, Jan-Henry & Solbakken, Ole Andre [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Text Topics and Treatment Response in Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Text Mining Study.Journal of Medical Internet Research. ISSN 1438-8871. 24(11). doi: 10.2196/38911.

Melsom, Linne; Ulvenes, Pål Gunnar; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Curran, Patrick J. & Wampold, Bruce E. (2022). Emotional Clarity and Tolerance of Emotional Distress as Mechanisms of Change in Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Chronic Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X. 90(4), s. 289–302. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000728.

Whittaker, Kristoffer; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Tilden, Terje (2022). Treated together–changed together: The application of dyadic analyses to understand the reciprocal nature of alliances and couple satisfaction over time. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy. ISSN 0194-472X. doi: 10.1111/jmft.12595.Vis sammendrag

Frederiksen, Christina; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Licht, Rasmus W.; Christensen, Ann-Eva; Jørgensen, Carsten René & Telléus, Gry Kjaersdam (2022). Validation of the Affect Integration Inventory in a sample of patients with personality disorders: A cross-sectional study. Acta Psychologica. ISSN 0001-6918. 225, s. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103554.

Whittaker, Kristoffer; Stänicke, Erik; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Tilden, Terje (2022). Troubled Relationships: A Retrospective Study of How Couples with Histories of Trauma Experience Therapy. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy. ISSN 1533-2691. s. 1–24. doi: 10.1080/15332691.2022.2053262.Vis sammendrag

Søvold, Lene & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2022). The user experience framework for health interventions. Nordic Psychology. ISSN 1901-2276. doi: 10.1080/19012276.2021.2004917.

Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2021). Validation of the Affect Integration Inventory Short Form (AII-SF-42). International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy. ISSN 1889-1780. 21(1), s. 106–123.

Lind, Sofie Bulling; Jacobsen, Henrik Børsting; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Reme, Silje Endresen (2021). Clinical Hypnosis in Medical Care: A Mixed-Method Feasibility Study. Integrative Cancer Therapies. ISSN 1534-7354. 20, s. 1–11. doi: 10.1177/15347354211058678.

Fredriksen, Christina Kjær; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Licht, Rasmus W.; Jørgensen, Carsten René; Rodrigo-Domingo, Maria & Telleus, Gry Kjærsdam (2021). Emotional dysfunction in avoidant personality disorder and borderline personality disorder: A cross‐sectional comparative study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. ISSN 0036-5564. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12771. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2021). Validation of the Affect Integration InventoryShort Form (AII-SF-42). International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy. ISSN 1889-1780. 21(1), s. 107–122.

Whittaker, Kristoffer; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Wampold, Bruce E. & Tilden, Terje (2021). Childhood trauma as a predictor of change in couple and family therapy: A study of treatment response.  Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice (CFP). ISSN 2160-4096. doi: 10.1037/cfp0000181.

Standal, Kari; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Rugkåsa, Jorun; Martinsen, Astrid Ringen; Halvorsen, Margrethe Seeger & Abbass, Allan [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Why service users choose medication-free psychiatric treatment: A mixed-method study of user accounts. Patient Preference and Adherence. ISSN 1177-889X. 15, s. 1647–1660. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S308151.Vis sammendrag

Solbakken, Ole Andre; Ebrahimi, Omid Vakili; Hoffart, Asle; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Johnson, Sverre Urnes (2021). Emotion regulation difficulties and interpersonal problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predicting anxiety and depression. Psychological Medicine. ISSN 0033-2917. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001987.

Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2015). Intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders.  ISSN 0165-0327.  181, s 67- 77 . doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.04.003

Nissen-Lie, Helene A; Rønnestad, Michael Helge; Høglend, Per Andreas; Havik, Odd E.; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Stiles, Tore C & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2015). Love yourself as a person, doubt yourself as a therapist?. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy.  ISSN 1063-3995. . doi: 10.1002

Taarvig, Eva; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Grova, Bjørg & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2015). Affect Consciousness in children with internalizing problems: Assessment of affect integration. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry.  ISSN 1359-1045.  20(4), s 591- 610 . doi: 10.1177/1359104514538434

Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2014). Implementation of an intensive short-term dynamic treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders in residential care. BMC Psychiatry.  ISSN 1471-244X.  14 . doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-14-12

Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2013). Effective Care of Treatment-Resistant Patients in an ISTDP-Based In-Patient Treatment Program. Psychiatric annals.  ISSN 0048-5713.  43(11), s 516- 522. DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20131105-07

Solbakken, Ole Andre; Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Havik, Odd E. & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2012). Affect integration as a predictor of change: Affect consciousness and treatment response in open-ended psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Research.  ISSN 1050-3307.  22(6), s 656- 673 . doi: 10.1080/10503307.2012.700871

Solbakken, O.A., Hansen, R.S., Havik, O.E., & Monsen, J.T.(2011). The assessment of affect integration: Validation of the affect consciousness construct. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93, 257-265. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2011.558874.

Solbakken, O. A., Hansen, R. S., & Monsen, J. T. (2011). Affect integration and reflective function: clarification of central conceptual issues. Psychotherapy Research, 21, 482-496. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2011.583696.

Bjerke, Espen; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2014). Are There Specific Relationships Between Symptom Patterns and Interpersonal Problems Among Psychiatric Outpatients?. Journal of Personality Assessment -  ISSN 0022-3891.  96(2), s 237- 244 . doi: 10.1080/00223891.2013.834441

Bjerke, Espen; Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2011). Interpersonal problems among 988 Norwegian psychiatric outpatients. A study of pretreatment self-reports.. Comprehensive Psychiatry.  ISSN 0010-440X.

Monsen, J. T., Monsen, K., Solbakken, O. A., & Hansen, R. S. (2008). The Affect Consciousness Interview (ACI) and the Affect Consciousness Scales (ACS): Instructions for the interview and rating. Manual available from the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.

Monsen, J. T., Monsen, K., Solbakken, O. A., & Hansen, R. S. (2008).Affektbevissthets-  intervjuet (ABI) og Affektbevissthetsskalene (ABS): Instruksjoner for intervju og           skåringskriterier. Manual tilgjengelig fra Psykologisk Institutt, Universitetet i Oslo.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre (2025). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. I Bach, Bo (Red.), ICD-11 Personality Disorders: Assessment and Treatment. Oxford University Press. ISSN 9780191964343. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP; Abbass, 2015; Davanloo, 1990, 2000, 2001, 2005; Frederickson, 2013) has emerged as a transformative therapeutic approach that harnesses the power of emotional engagement to unlock profound change in patients with severe mental health disorders (e.g., Abbass et al., 2008; Solbakken & Abbass, 2015; Solbakken & Abbass, 2016).¹ With the advent of the ICD-11 diagnostic system (World Health Organization, 2022), understanding and treatment of Personality Disorders (PDs) have undergone a notable evolution. This chapter explores the intersection between ISTDP, its metapsychology, and the principles of treatment, and the new conceptualization of PDs as outlined in the ICD-11.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Frederiksen, Christina Kjær & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2025). Emotional Dysfunction: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Affect Integration. I Bach, Bo (Red.), ICD-11 Personality Disorders: Assessment and Treatment. Oxford University Press. ISSN 9780191964343. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  One central feature of the ICD-11 Personality Disorder classification system is the prominent role attributed to emotional dysfunction. As is undoubtedly well known to readers of this book, the ICD-11 Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements for Personality Disorders and Related Traits (WHO, 2024) defines personality disorder as a marked disturbance in personality functioning characterized by impairments in the operation of core aspects of the self, such as sense of identity, self-worth, and capacity for self-direction, and/or problems in interpersonal functioning, such as developing and maintaining close and mutually satisfying relations, understanding the perspectives of others, and managing conflict in relationships. In turn, these impairments are manifested as maladaptive patterns of emotional experience and emotional expression, along with cognitive and behavioral manifestations (definitions reordered and italicized by the authors for emphasis), thereby placing emotional dysfunction at the very center of personality disorder nosology.

• Solbakken, Ole André; Myhre, Filip; Bakkevig, Jonas; Langvasbråten, Bernt & Hansen, Roger Sandvik (2025). Fifteen Years of ISTDP in Norway. American Journal of Psychotherapy. ISSN 0002-9564. 78(3), s. 178–178. doi: 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20240027. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The year 2024 celebrates the 15th anniversary of nationally organized training in and delivery of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in Norway. Accordingly, the authors provide an overview of the implementation of ISTDP in Norway, examine ISTDP’s impact on mental health delivery, review research, reflect on practice, and discuss future directions for ISTDP in the country. Since its introduction in Norway, ISTDP has gained significant popularity and recognition in the mental health field. The training of Norwegian trainers and the founding of the Norwegian Institute for ISTDP allowed for the expansion and scalability of the ISTDP training program. Alignment of the training program with the existing framework for postgraduate specialization for psychologists and its accreditation by the Norwegian Psychological Association has ensured recognition and relevance in the mental health field. Private- and public-sector applications have further contributed to the growth and dissemination of the method in Norway. ISTDP has thus become an integral and important part of the therapeutic landscape, providing hope and healing to individuals facing various emotional challenges. ISTDP’s influence is likely to keep growing, both within Norway and internationally, thus contributing to the advancement of effective psychotherapy practices worldwide.

• Hammerfald, Karin; Jahren, Henrik Haaland & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2025). The association between patient engagement and treatment outcome in guided internet-delivered CBT for anxiety and depression. Frontiers in Psychology. 16. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1494729. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Introduction: The present evaluation aimed to explore patterns in routinely collected clinical data to better understand how user engagement may be associated with symptom change during guided iCBT treatment for depression and anxiety in a routine care setting. As part of ongoing quality assurance efforts, we examined whether specific engagement indicators were related to treatment outcomes. These analyses were motivated by previous findings in the literature suggesting that higher engagement may be linked to greater symptom improvement. Methods: Anonymous data of 514 patients who signed up for an internet-delivered, guided treatment program for depression or anxiety, were obtained for estimating patterns of change and the impact of predictors of change using Multilevel Modeling. Initial assessment after sign-up included various questionnaires and demographic information. Log data from user interactions with the guided iCBT programs was used to assess patient and clinician engagement. Clinical outcomes included symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, GAD-7). Results: Patients started a mean of 7.14 modules, completed 64.7% of assigned modules and 62.8% of assigned activities. Patients with clinical depression or anxiety levels experienced significant changes between initial assessment and first outcome assessment as well as significant symptom reduction during treatment. Initial symptom levels and engagement persistence predicted treatment outcomes. Conclusions: The present study replicates previous findings suggesting that safeguarding exposure to and engagement with content is significantly associated with outcome.

• Hammerfald, Karin; Schmidt, Fabian; Vlassov, Vladimir; Jahren, Henrik Haaland & Solbakken, Ole André (2025). Leveraging large language models to identify microcounseling skills in psychotherapy transcripts. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. s. 19–19. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2025.2539405. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective: Microcounseling skills are fundamental to effective psychotherapy, yet manual coding is time- and resource-intensive. This study explores the potential of large language models (LLMs) to automate the identification of these skills in therapy sessions. Method: We fine-tuned GPT-4.1 on a set of psychotherapy transcripts annotated by human coders. The model was trained to classify therapist utterances, generate explanations for its decisions, and propose alternative responses. The pipeline included transcript preprocessing, dialogue segmentation, and supervised fine-tuning. Results: The model achieved solid performance (Accuracy: 0.78; Precision: 0.79; Recall: 0.78; F1: 0.78; Specificity: 0.77; Cohen's κ: 0.69). It reliably detected common and structurally distinct skills but struggled with more nuanced skills that rely on understanding implicit relational dynamics. Conclusion: Despite limitations, fine-tuned LLMs have potential for enhancing psychotherapy research and clinical practice by providing scalable, automated coding of therapist skills.

• Standal, Kari; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Benth, Jurate Saltyte; Abbass, Allan & Heiervang, Kristin Sverdvik (2025). Are People Worse Off in a Mental Health Treatment Paradigm Where Medication Is Deemphasised? A Naturalistic Noninferiority Trial of an Initiative to Improve Patient Choice. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. ISSN 0020-7640. doi: 10.1177/00207640251390930. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Norwegian health authorities have established dedicated units for medication-free mental health treatment (MFT) to enhance patient choice. These services place greater emphasis on psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions than traditional care. They aim to be free from coercion and pressure regarding medication, rather than totally absent of medication. Aims: This study evaluates whether outcomes for patients receiving MFT are noninferior to those receiving treatment as usual (TAU). Method: A noninferiority analysis was conducted using the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ-45.2) to assess changes from admission to discharge. Two datasets were analysed: a smaller research sample with repeated measures and two comparison units (Sample R; n = 59 + 124), and a larger quality register sample with single-measure data and one comparison unit (Sample Q; n = 140 + 238). In sample R, associations between clinical and demographic variables and treatment outcomes were also explored. Results: Participants in both treatment conditions showed substantial improvement. In Sample R, changes between groups were not statistically significant, and the noninferiority analysis was inconclusive. In Sample Q, intention-to-treat analyses indicated superiority for MFT, while sensitivity analyses excluding dropouts supported noninferiority. Conclusions: Findings suggest that MFT is not associated with inferior short-term treatment outcomes in the population currently receiving this care. These results may reassure clinicians and policymakers in supporting patient choice and may assist patients in selecting their preferred treatment approach. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03499080), date 17/04/2018.

• Høstmælingen, Andreas Teisner; Monsen, Jon Trygve; Nissen-Lie, Helene, Amundsen & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2025). Kan bruk av antidepressiver påvirke nytten av psykologisk behandling? Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. doi: https:/www.psykologtidsskriftet.no/artikkel/2025as12ae-Kan-bruk-av-antidepressiver-p-virke-nytten-av-psykologisk-behandling-. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Pasienter med depresjon som brukte antidepressiver, trengte lengre tid i psykoterapi og hadde mindre symptomreduksjon

• Høstmælingen, Andreas Teisner; Nissen-Lie, Helene, Amundsen; Monsen, Jon Trygve; Heinonen, Erkki; Wampold, Bruce E. & Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Use of antidepressant medication is associated with slower response to open-ended psychotherapy for depressed patients. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 16. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1503848. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective Depressed patients often experience both symptomatic distress and interpersonal problems. Comorbid personality disorder (PD) has been shown to attenuate the benefits of psychotherapy. Also, antidepressant medication (ADM) may affect the response to psychotherapy. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in depressive symptoms and interpersonal problems for ADM users and non-medicated depressed patients during psychotherapy and follow-up, controlling for comorbid PD. Method Depressive symptoms (SCL-90-R), and interpersonal problems (IIP-64) were assessed on 11 occasions for 166 depressed patients. ADM was used by 50.6% of the sample while 49.4% were unmedicated. Change during treatment and follow-up was assessed with multilevel modeling. We assessed whether ADM and PD predicted differences in symptom development. Results Depressive symptoms significantly reduced at a rate of.05 per month in treatment ( p <.001), corresponding to an effect size of 1.35. Interpersonal problems significantly reduced at a rate of.02 per month during treatment ( p <.001), corresponding to an effect size of.47. There was no significant difference between ADM users and nonmedicated patients at baseline. ADM users had nearly twice as long treatment duration than nonmedicated patients, and ADM users had lower rate of symptom reduction than nonmedicated patients for depressive symptoms and interpersonal problems. There were no differences in rates of change between patients with and without comorbid PD. Conclusion Medicated patients may experience less response to psychotherapy in terms of depressive symptoms and interpersonal problems compared to nonmedicated patients.

• Ebrahimi, Omid Vakili; Sandbakken, Ella Marie; Moss, Sigrun Marie; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Hoffart, Asle & Bauermeister, Sarah [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Modifiable risk factors of vaccine hesitancy: insights from a mixed methods multiple population study combining machine learning and thematic analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Medicine. 23(1). doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-03953-y. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Vaccine hesitancy, the delay in acceptance or reluctance to vaccinate, ranks among the top threats to global health. Identifying modifiable factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy is crucial for developing targeted interventions to increase vaccination uptake. Methods This mixed-methods multiple population study utilized gradient boosting machines and thematic analysis to identify modifiable predictors of vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Predictors of vaccine hesitancy were investigated in 2926 Norwegian adults (Mage = 37.91, 79.69% female), before the predictive utility of these variables was investigated in an independent sample of 734 adults in the UK (Mage = 40.34, 57.08% female). Two independent teams of authors conducted the machine learning and thematic analyses, blind to each other’s analytic procedures and results. Results The machine learning model performed well in discerning vaccine hesitant (n = 248, 8.48% and n = 109, 14.85%, Norway and UK, respectively) from vaccine uptaking individuals (n = 2678, 91.52% and n = 625, 85.15%), achieving an AUC of 0.94 (AUPRC: 0.72; balanced accuracy: 86%; sensitivity = 0.81; specificity = 0.98) in the Norwegian sample, and an AUC of 0.98 (AUPRC: 0.89; balanced accuracy: 89%; sensitivity = 0.83; specificity = 0.97) in the out-of-sample replication in the UK. The mixed methods investigation identified five categories of modifiable risk tied to vaccine hesitancy, including illusion of invulnerability, doubts about vaccine efficacy, mistrust in official entities, minimization of the societal impact of COVID-19, and health-related fears tied to vaccination. The portrayal of rare incidents across alternative media platforms as fear amplifiers, and the mainstream media’s stigmatizing presentation of unvaccinated individuals, were provided as additional motives underlying vaccine reluctance and polarization. The thematic analysis further revealed information overload, fear of needles, previous negative vaccination experiences, fear of not getting healthcare follow-up after vaccination if needed, and vaccine aversion due to underlying (psychiatric) illness (e.g., eating disorders) as motives underlying vaccine hesitance. Conclusions The identified influential predictors were consistent across two European samples, highlighting their generalizability across European populations. These predictors offer insights about modifiable factors that could be adapted by public health campaigns in mitigating misconceptions and fears related to vaccination toward increasing vaccine uptake. Moreover, the results highlight the media’s responsibility, as mediators of the public perception of vaccines, to minimize polarization and provide accurate portrayals of rare vaccine-related incidents, reducing the risk aggravating fear and reactance to vaccination.

• Bølstad, Evalill; Edvoll, Maud; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Havighurst, Sophie Seychelle (2025). The effectiveness of a parent emotion socialization intervention in Norway. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. ISSN 0193-3973. 98. doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2025.101795. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Høstmælingen, Andreas Teisner; Nissen-Lie, Helene, Amundsen; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2025). Interrelationships of symptomatic and relational distress: Improvements in interpersonal problems predict subsequent improvement in depressive symptoms during open-ended psychotherapy for adults with depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X. 93(6), s. 470–470. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000956. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective: Depressed patients often experience interpersonal distress. Understanding how interpersonal distress and depressive symptoms are associated may have implications for understanding the etiology and maintenance of depression, as well as for treatment. In this naturalistic psychotherapy study, we explored whether change in depressive symptoms predicted subsequent change in interpersonal distress or vice versa. Method: Depressive symptoms (depression scale of the Symptom Check List–90–Revised) and interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems–64) were assessed on nine occasions, including before, during, and after treatment and at 1 and 2.5 years follow-up in a sample of 178 depressed patients receiving open-ended psychotherapy. We used latent curve modeling with structured residuals to assess possible reciprocal relations between interpersonal problems and depression, controlling for personality disorder. Results: The findings showed that interpersonal distress had a slower rate of change compared to depressive symptoms, but improvements in interpersonal distress predicted subsequent improvement in depressive symptoms during psychotherapy, and this effect was stable over time. Patients with comorbid personality disorder had higher initial levels of both depression and interpersonal distress, but there were no differences in rates of change for any of the outcomes. Conclusion: Our results indicate that improvements in interpersonal problems may play an important role in alleviating depressive symptoms during psychotherapy. We propose that reduction of interpersonal distress is associated with increased interpersonal flexibility, which may lead to more positive responses from others, thereby contributing to a reduction in depressive symptoms.

• Johannessen, Kaja Næss; Bakken, Ann-Karin Nielsen; Hambrick, Erin P. & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2024). Treatment Effects of Introducing the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics in a Norwegian Residential Treatment Facility for Children Aged 7–13. Children. 11(5). doi: 10.3390/children11050503. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Standal, Kari; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Rugkåsa, Jorun; Halvorsen, Margrethe Seeger; Abbass, Allan & Wirsching, Christopher [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Medication-Free Treatment in Mental Health Care How Does It Differ from Traditional Treatment? Patient Preference and Adherence. 18, s. 315–335. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S435610. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Norwegian authorities have implemented treatment units devoted to medication-free mental health treatment nation- wide to improve people’s freedom of choice. This article examines how medication-free treatment differs from treatment as usual across central dimensions. Methods: The design was mixed methods including questionnaire data on patients from a medication-free unit and two comparison units (n 59 + 124), as well as interviews with patients (n 5) and staff (n 8) in the medication-free unit. Results: Medication-free treatment involved less reliance on medications and more extensive psychosocial treatment that involved a culture of openness, expression of feelings, and focus on individual responsibility and intensive work. The overall extent of patient influence for medication-free treatment compared with standard treatment was not substantially different to standard treatment but varied on different themes. Patients in medication-free treatment had greater freedom to reduce or not use medicat

• Bakali, Jan Vegard; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Hoffart, Asle; Brækhus, Hege; Kvarstein, Elfrida Hartveit & Johnson, Sverre Urnes (2024). Affect integration, metacognitions, and early maladaptive schemas as predictors of outcome in cognitive and metacognitive therapies for social anxiety disorder. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. 35(7), s. 1149–1161. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2024.2443499. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective Few reliable patient characteristics have emerged as significant predictors of outcomes for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). This study aimed to explore whether affect integration, metacognitions, and maladaptive schemas could serve as predictors of therapeutic outcomes for patients with SAD. Relationships between these psychological constructs and baseline SAD symptomatology were also examined. Methods Eighty-eight patients across three sites participated in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) for SAD in inpatient or outpatient clinics. Measures of predictors and SAD symptomatology were repeatedly assessed. Statistical analyses included longitudinal, multilevel modeling. Results Difficulties with affect integration, metacognitions and early maladaptive schemas clearly related to higher levels of SAD symptoms at baseline but were not generally predictive of changes in SAD symptoms during therapy. However, examining sub-domains revealed that difficulties with the integration of jealousy and tenderness, and the maladaptive schema of defectiveness/shame, predicted poorer outcomes. In contrast, initial difficulties with the integration of sadness, a greater lack of cognitive confidence, and the maladaptive schema of dependence/incompetence were associated with greater symptom improvement. Conclusion Identifying issues of affect integration and core self-other beliefs prior to therapy may enhance patient selection and allow for a more individualized treatment.

• Ebrahimi, Omid V.; Freichel, René; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Hoffart, Asle; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Bauer, Daniel J. (2024). Depressive Symptom Change Patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Impact on Psychiatric Treatment Seeking: A 24-Month Observational Study of the Adult Population. Depression and Anxiety. ISSN 1091-4269. 2024. doi: 10.1155/2024/1272738. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Frederiksen, Christina; Telléus, Gry Kjaersdam & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2023). Psychometric properties of the affect integration inventory – short form in a sample of patients with personality disorder. Frontiers in Psychology. 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191752. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Holsen, Maria; Holman, Per Arne; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Lien, Lars (2023). Geografisk variasjon i vaksnes bruk av avtalespesialistar og DPS i psykisk helsevern. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. doi: 10.52734/IHAK9103. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Equitable mental healthcare regardless of area of residence is a political aim in Norway. The purpose of this study is to evaluate geographical variation in private practitioner coverage and explore differences between private practitioners with public reimbursement and local community mental health centers (CMHCs) in terms of diagnoses and scope of outpatient treatment, with a focus on mood and neurotic disorders. Method: Cross-sectional registry-based study of adults in outpatient mental healthcare at private practitioners or CMHCs in Norway in 2014–2018. We calculated distribution of diagnoses, geographical variation in rates of private practitioners, and analyzed scope of treatment for patients with mood and neurotic disorders (ICD-10 disorders F3, F4). We estimate cost per treated patient and report geographic variation for hospital catchment areas. Results: Patients with F3, F4 disorders accounted for 64.7 % at private practitioners, and 41.5 % at CMHCs, and received more treatment at private practitioners, five more consultations in a 42 day longer period. There is considerable geographical variation in private practitioner coverage, highest in South-Eastern Norway and lowest in Northern Norway. Implications: As long as management and priority setting are differently organized for CMHCs and private practitioners in mental health care, we must expect geographical variation in access and use. It appears as an equity paradox that a group of patients, rejected by or not referred to CMHC, receive more treatment by private practitioners.

• Vølstad, Astrid; Salas, Maria Ingunnsdatter & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2023). Driven or lacking access: Integration types as a subdimension of the affect consciousness construct. Frontiers in Psychology. 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.968737. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melsom, Linne; Ulvenes, Pål Gunnar; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Curran, Patrick J.; Eielsen, Karl Mikkel Veum & Wampold, Bruce E. (2023). Self-Compassion and Fear of Compassion in the Treatment of Chronic Depression: Mechanisms of Change? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000822. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønderland, Nils Martin; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Eilertsen, Dag Erik; Nordmo, Magnus & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2023). Emotional Changes and Outcomes in Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000814. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Visted, Endre; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Mæland, Silje; Fadnes, Lars T.; Bjerrum, Louise & Nordhus, Inger Hilde [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Validation of a brief version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16) with an older Norwegian population. European Journal of Ageing. ISSN 1613-9372. 20. doi: 10.1007/s10433-023-00775-w. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Emotion regulation is proposed to have a salient role in optimal aging. However, currently used measures of emotion regulation have not been validated for older adults. Therefore, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale—short form (DERS-16) in a large Norwegian sample consisting of individuals between 70 and 95 years (n = 2525). Tests of internal consistency, reliability, assessment of intra-domain correlations, and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Construct validity was further investigated by assessing concurrent associations between DERS-16 and well-established measures of psychological disorders, psychological health, and well-being (five-item version of Geriatric Depression Scale, Geriatric Anxiety Inventory—short form, and OECD guidelines on measuring subjective well-being). All subscales derived from the instrument showed adequate internal consistency. Furthermore, we obtained a theoretically consistent factor structure, in which a bifactor model combining a general emotion regulation factor and five additional domain-specific facet-factors had superior model fit. As expected, difficulties in emotion regulation correlated positively with symptoms of depression and anxiety, and negatively with psychological health and well-being. Associations were generally of moderate strength. We can thus conclude that the DERS-16 demonstrates excellent psychometric properties when used in samples with older adults and may safely be employed in studies of emotion regulation difficulties in the older segment of our population.

• Rosenström, Tom H.; Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Saarni, Suoma E. (2023). Direction of dependence analysis for pre-post assessments using non-Gaussian methods: a tutorial. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2167526. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melsom, Linne; Ulvenes, Pål Gunnar; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Curran, Patrick J. & Wampold, Bruce E. (2022). Emotional Clarity and Tolerance of Emotional Distress as Mechanisms of Change in Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Chronic Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. ISSN 0022-006X. 90(4), s. 289–302. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000728. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Whittaker, Kristoffer; Stänicke, Erik; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Tilden, Terje (2022). Troubled Relationships: A Retrospective Study of How Couples with Histories of Trauma Experience Therapy. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy. ISSN 1533-2691. s. 1–24. doi: 10.1080/15332691.2022.2053262. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In the present study we aim to increase our knowledge of the relationship between childhood trauma and outcome in couple therapy. We samples participants based on their sub-optimal responses to treatment as well as one member of the dyad having reported experiences of childhood trauma. Six participants constituting three couples were included. All data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Our main finding was that when couples are not able to agree ont he goal of their therapy and this is not handled adequately by the therapist, the alliance tends to split. The therapy thus becomes more individually focused at the expense of the couple relationship. Generally, participants did not themselves assess their past traumas as having negatively impacted therapy giving instead credence as to how it has impacted their self-knowledge. In the future, longitudinal studies should be conducted to explore if there is an association across treatment between trauma and the therapeutic relationship, and the influence it might have on outcome. The findings of this study further support the already existing literature on the importance of alliance and elaborates upon how split alliances occur, develops, and constrains therapy.

• Søvold, Lene & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2022). The user experience framework for health interventions. Nordic Psychology. ISSN 1901-2276. doi: 10.1080/19012276.2021.2004917. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Yang, Fan; Wangen, Knut Reidar; Victor, Mattias Erik; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Holman, Per Arne (2022). Referral assessment and patient waiting time decisions in specialized mental healthcare: an exploratory study of early routine collection of PROM (LOVePROM). BMC Health Services Research. 22(1). doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08877-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Norway has prioritized health services according to the principle of “severity of conditions”, where waiting time reflects patients’ medical urgency. We aim to investigate if the “severity-of-condition” principle performs well in the priority setting of waiting time, between and within groups of patients using community mental health services. We also aim to investigate the association between patients’ diagnoses and symptom severity at the start of treatment and the corresponding waiting time. Methods The study analyzed routine data from Lovisenberg electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement (LOVePROM) at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital in Norway. We estimated patient-reported severity by using Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), together with patients’ diagnoses to identify patients’ needs in general. To assess the performance of current prioritization, we compared waiting times for patients with major depressive disorder and their maximum recommended waiting time. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the association between patient-reported severity, their diagnosis, and waiting times. Results Of the 6108 mental health disorder patients, patients with moderate to severe conditions waited seven weeks, while patients with mild conditions or below clinical cutoff waited 8 weeks. Included in the sample, 1583 were diagnosed with depression. Results indicated that patients with moderate and severe depression had a slightly shorter wait-time than patients with mild depression. However, 32.4% patients with moderate depression and 83.3% patients with severe depression, waited longer than their maximum recommended waiting time. CORE-OM identified depressive patients with risk-to-self harm, who had a 0.84 weeks shorter wait-time. These results were also applied to patients with other common mental health disorders. Conclusion Overall, patients waited in accordance with the “severity of condition” principle, but the trend was not strong. Therefore, we advocate that there is substantial room for quality improvements in priority setting on waiting time. We suggest further research should investigate if routine collection of PROM and assessment of referral letters, can better inform specialists when deciding on waiting time.

• Mylläri, Sanna; Saarni, Suoma Eeva; Ritola, Ville; Joffe, Grigori; Stenberg, Jan-Henry & Solbakken, Ole Andre [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Text Topics and Treatment Response in Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Text Mining Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR). ISSN 1439-4456. 24(11). doi: 10.2196/38911. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Frederiksen, Christina; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Licht, Rasmus W.; Christensen, Ann-Eva; Jørgensen, Carsten René & Telléus, Gry Kjaersdam (2022). Validation of the Affect Integration Inventory in a sample of patients with personality disorders: A cross-sectional study. Acta Psychologica. ISSN 0001-6918. 225, s. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103554. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Whittaker, Kristoffer; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Tilden, Terje (2022). Treated together–changed together: The application of dyadic analyses to understand the reciprocal nature of alliances and couple satisfaction over time. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy. ISSN 0194-472X. doi: 10.1111/jmft.12595. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In a Norwegian study of 73 couples attending a residential couple therapy program lasting between 6 and 12 weeks, weekly self-report data on therapy alliance and couple satisfaction were collected using routine outcome monitoring (ROM). The aim was to show how dyadic analyses could be applied to examine the predictive association between alliances and couple satisfaction. Results showed that improved alliance between dyad members and their couple therapist predicted their spouses' alliance. The clinical implication of these findings should heighten awareness to the importance of male partners in couple therapy, something that predicts their spouses' couple satisfaction. These findings help nuance the already existing literature on the working alliance. Futhermore, we propose that dyadic analyses should be widely used in any psycho-therapeutic research that aims to understand the reciprocal effects of dyads.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Ebrahimi, Omid Vakili; Hoffart, Asle; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Johnson, Sverre Urnes (2021). Emotion regulation difficulties and interpersonal problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predicting anxiety and depression. Psychological Medicine. ISSN 0033-2917. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001987. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lind, Sofie Bulling; Jacobsen, Henrik Børsting; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Reme, Silje Endresen (2021). Clinical Hypnosis in Medical Care: A Mixed-Method Feasibility Study. Integrative Cancer Therapies. ISSN 1534-7354. 20, s. 1–11. doi: 10.1177/15347354211058678. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Standal, Kari; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Rugkåsa, Jorun; Martinsen, Astrid Ringen; Halvorsen, Margrethe Seeger & Abbass, Allan [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Why service users choose medication-free psychiatric treatment: A mixed-method study of user accounts. Patient Preference and Adherence. 15, s. 1647–1660. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S308151. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Purpose: Medication has been a central part of treatment for severe mental disorders in Western medicine since the 1950s. In 2015, Norwegian Health Authorities decided that Norwegian health regions must have treatment units devoted to medication-free mental health treatment to enhance service users’ freedom of choice. The need for these units has been controversial. The aim of this study was to examine why service users choose medica- tion-free services. This article examines what purpose these units serve in terms of the users’ reasons for choosing this service, what is important for them to receive during the treatment, and what factors lay behind their concerns in terms of medication-related views and experiences. Methods: Questionnaires were answered by 46 participants and 5 participants were inter- viewed in a mixed-method design integrated with a concurrent triangulation strategy apply- ing thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Results: Negative effects of medications and unavailable alternatives to medication in ordinary health care were important reasons for wanting medication-free treatment. Medication use may conflict with personal values, attitudes, and beliefs. Conclusion: This study broadens the understanding of why the demand for separate medication-free units has arisen. The findings may contribute to making medication-free treatment an option in mental health care in general. To this end, clinicians are advised to communicate all treatment alternatives to service users and to be mindful of the effect of power imbalances in their interactions with them

• Whittaker, Kristoffer; Johnson, Sverre Urnes; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Wampold, Bruce E. & Tilden, Terje (2021). Childhood trauma as a predictor of change in couple and family therapy: A study of treatment response. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice (CFP). ISSN 2160-4096. doi: 10.1037/cfp0000181. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Fredriksen, Christina Kjær; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Licht, Rasmus W.; Jørgensen, Carsten René; Rodrigo-Domingo, Maria & Telleus, Gry Kjærsdam (2021). Emotional dysfunction in avoidant personality disorder and borderline personality disorder: A cross‐sectional comparative study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. ISSN 0036-5564. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12771. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  According to the literature, avoidant personality disorder (APD) is often overlooked in research on personality disorders. In the present study, patients with APD were compared to patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) with respect to emotional dysfunction. Emotional dysfunction was operationalized through the Affect Integration Inventory. Sixty-one patients receiving treatment at specialized outpatient hospital facilities for either BPD (n = 25) or APD (n = 36) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition) were included in a cross-sectional study. Supporting our expectations of no difference in the global capacity for affect integration between groups, the estimated difference was 0.00 (95% confidence interval [CI] [−0.53, 0.53]). On the other hand, the expected increased dysfunction in APD regarding Expression could not be confirmed. Furthermore, problems with specific affects distinguished the groups; integration of Interest was worse in APD (p = 0.01), whereas integration of Jealousy was worse in BPD (p = 0.04). In terms of prototypical modes of experiencing affects, APD was characterized by decreased access to the motivational properties of Interest (p < 0.01), while BPD was more driven by Interest (p < 0.01), Anger (p < 0.01), and Jealousy (p = 0.01). In conclusion, even though the two disorders are characterized by similar overall levels of emotional dysfunction, they differ systematically and predictably regarding specific affects and modes of experiencing. These findings carry implications for the understanding of emotional dysfunction in APD and BPD, suggesting specific areas of emotional dysfunction that could be targeted in tailored psychotherapeutic interventions.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2021). Validation of the Affect Integration Inventory Short Form (AII-SF-42). International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy. ISSN 1889-1780. 21(1), s. 106–123. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2021). Validation of the Affect Integration InventoryShort Form (AII-SF-42). International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy. ISSN 1889-1780. 21(1), s. 107–122. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nordmo, Magnus; Sønderland, Nils Martin; Havik, Odd E.; Eilertsen, Dag-Erik; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2020). Effectiveness of open-ended psychotherapy under clinically representative conditions. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 11:384, s. 1–13. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00384. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of open-ended psychotherapy in a large, naturalistic, and diverse patient cohort using rigorous and multifaceted assessments. Method: Patients (N = 370) in open-ended psychotherapy completed an extensive set of self-report measures and diagnostic interviews, including long-term follow-up in order to assess stability of outcomes. About half of the patients qualified for a personality disorder at the onset of treatment. Treatments were open-ended, and on average therapists provided substantially larger treatment doses than common in the literature. Results: A substantial majority recovered from their respective Axis I (58%) and/or Axis II (55%) disorders during treatment. Patients also experienced large positive changes in self-report measures of overall psychiatric symptoms and moderate positive changes in self-reported interpersonal problems, while very few (< 3%) demonstrated negative development. The patients maintained their diagnostic and self-assessed changes at a two-and-a-half-year follow-up. In contrast, self-reported occupational functioning showed minimal improvement throughout the treatment and follow-up phase. Conclusion: A naturalistic patient cohort undergoing open-ended psychotherapy demonstrates substantial and stable improvements.

• Nordmo, Magnus; Monsen, Jon Trygve; Høglend, Per Andreas & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2020). Investigating the dose–response effect in open-ended psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2020.1861359. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rognli, Erling Wright; Waraan, Luxsiya; Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Aalberg, Marianne (2020). Conflict with Parents in Adolescent Depression: Associations with Parental Interpersonal Problems and Depressive Symptoms. Child Psychiatry and Human Development. ISSN 0009-398X. 51, s. 442–452. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-00955-0. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Conflict with parents is common among depressed adolescents, interferes with treatment, and may increase risk of recurrence. Parental depressive symptoms have been shown to predict conflict with adolescent children, but an important role for different kinds of parental interpersonal problems, as described by interpersonal circumplex, is also plausible. This study compared parental interpersonal problems to parental depressive symptoms as predictors of parent-adolescent conflict reported by a depressed adolescent child, using multilevel linear regression, leave-one-out cross-validation and model stacking (N = 100 parents, 57 mothers and 43 fathers, of 60 different adolescents). Cross-validation and model stacking showed that including parental interpersonal problems contributes to accurate predictions. Parents reporting more interpersonal problems related to excessive dominance or submissiveness was associated with increased or decreased conflict, respectively. Parental depressive symptoms were found to be negatively associated with parent-adolescent conflict only in father-adolescent relationships.

• Nissen-Lie, Helene Amundsen; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Falkenström, Fredrik; Wampold, Bruce E.; Homqvist, Rolf & Ekeblad, Annika [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2020). Does it make a difference to be more "on the same page"? Investigating the role of alliance convergence for outcomes in two different samples. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. s. 1–17. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2020.1823030. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective: To better understand the complexity of dyadic processes, such as the mechanisms of the working alliance, researchers recommend taking advantage of innovations in data analytic procedures when studying the interactions between therapists and patients that are associated with favorable therapeutic outcomes. Inspired by a recent line of alliance research using dyadic multilevel modeling, the present study investigated the hypothesis that convergence in the patient-therapist working alliance (i.e., increased similarity in ratings of the alliance across treatment) would be associated with better outcomes. Method: Data were retrieved from two samples: 1. A randomized controlled trial for treatment resistant depression (N= 96 dyads), and 2. An archival dataset of naturalistic psychotherapies from public health care (N = 139 dyads). Multilevel growth curve analysis was employed to investigate the degree of change in session-to-session agreement of global WAI ratings between therapists and patients (i.e., alliance convergence) as a predictor of symptom reduction in the BDI-II and the SCL-90R. Results: Contrary to our expectations, alliance convergence did not predict outcome in either sample, but was negatively associated with symptom severity in Study 2. Implications for understanding the complexity of dyadic processes and alliance work in psychotherapy are discussed.

• Taarvig, Eva & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2018). Affect Integration and Attachment in Children and Youth: Conceptual Issuses - Implications for Practice and Research. Revista Internacional de Psicologia y Terapia Psicológica. ISSN 1577-7057. 18(1), s. 65–82. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The essential role of affect and emotion in human behavior, motivation, cognition, and interpersonal interaction is emphasized in various efforts to understand how children develop. However, various theoretical traditions have focused on different features. In this article we focus on the views in attachment theory and the affect consciousness (AC) model/related affect integration perspectives. The attachment theory and the AC perspective/related affect integration perspectives are widely recognized approaches that explicitly focus on the role of affect, cognition, and behavior in the context of others as the main areas in both children’s developmental processes and psychotherapeutic processes. However, these traditions represent both overlapping and contrasting views. On this background we discuss the following questions: 1. How does attachment theory describe the view on affect/emotion, motivation, cognition, and interpersonal interaction, and how do the AC perspective/related affect integration perspectives describe the view on the same subjects? What central theoretical similarities and differences do we find when we compare AC and attachment theory? 2. What role does AC play in attachment, and what role does attachment play in AC? 3. Can the AC perspective/related affect integration perspectives expand and provide nuance to our understanding of the role of affect and emotion in attachment theory, including an understanding of typical and nontypical emotional learning processes? We identified six central AC aspects that can expand our understanding of the function and role of affect and emotion in attachment theory. This understanding is considered central to both practice and research.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Rauk, Mari; Solem, Anders; Lødrup, William & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2017). Tell me how you feel and I will tell you who you are : first validation of the affect integration inventory. Scandinavian Psychologist. 2017(4:e2), s. 1–31. doi: 10.15714/scandpsychol.4.e2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In this article, we present the first empirical validation of the Affect Integration Inventory (AII), a measure that assesses affect integration through a time-efficient self-report format, write Ole André Solbakken and colleagues.

• Taarvig, Eva; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Grova, Bjørg Kari & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2016). Vurdering av affektintegrasjon med Affektbevissthetsintervju for barn. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. 53(4), s. 282–289. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2016). Symptom- and personality disorder changes in intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment for treatment-resistant anxiety and depressive disorders. Acta Neuropsychiatrica. ISSN 0924-2708. 28(5), s. 257–271. doi: 10.1017/neu.2016.5. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Taarvig, Eva; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Grova, Bjørg Kari & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2016). Exploring Affect Integration in Children With Anxiety Disorders:A Pilot Study. Psychology of Consciousness. ISSN 2326-5523. 3(4), s. 338–356. doi: 10.1037/cns0000108. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bjerke, Espen; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Friis, Svein & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2016). Self-Relatedness and Interpersonal Problems in a Large Psychiatric Outpatient Sample. PSYCHOLOGY. ISSN 2152-7180. 7, s. 864–876. doi: 10.4236/psych.2016.76088. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nissen-Lie, Helene A; Rønnestad, Michael Helge; Høglend, Per Andreas; Havik, Odd E.; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Stiles, Tore C [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2015). Love yourself as a person, doubt yourself as a therapist? Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. ISSN 1063-3995. 24(1), s. 48–60. doi: 10.1002/cpp.1977. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Taarvig, Eva; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Grova, Bjørg & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2015). Affect Consciousness in children with internalizing problems: Assessment of affect integration. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 1359-1045. 20(4), s. 591–610. doi: 10.1177/1359104514538434. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Affect integration was operationalized through the Affect Consciousness (AC) construct as degrees of awareness, tolerance, nonverbal expression and conceptual expression of 11 affects. These aspects are assessed through a semi-structured Affect Consciousness Interview (ACI) and separate rating scales (Affect Consciousness Scales (ACSs)) developed for use in research and clinical work with adults with psychopathological disorders. Age-adjusted changes were made in the interview and rating system. This study explored the applicability of the adjusted ACI to a sample of 11-year-old children with internalizing problems through examining inter-rater reliability of the adjusted ACI, along with relationships between the AC aspects and aspects of mental health as symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, social competence, besides general intelligence. Satisfactory inter-rater reliability was found, as well as consistent relationships between the AC aspects and the various aspects of mental health, a finding which coincides with previous research. The finding indicates that the attainment of the capacity to deal adaptively with affect is probably an important contributor to the development of adequate social competence and maybe in the prevention of psychopathology in children. The results indicate that the adjusted ACI and rating scales are useful tools in treatment planning with children at least from the age of 11 years.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2015). Intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders. ISSN 0165-0327. 181, s. 67–77. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.04.003. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Amble, Ingunn Agathe; Gude, Tore; Stubdal, Sven; Øktedalen, Tuva; Skjørten, Anne Marie & Andersen, Bror Just [Vis alle 11 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2014). Psychometric properties of the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2: The Norwegian version in an international context. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. 24(4), s. 504–513. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2013.849016. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Monitoring of ongoing psychotherapy is of crucial importance in improving the quality of mental health care by detecting therapies being off track, which requires that the instrument used is psychometrically sound. This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ-45) and situates the results in an international context. Data from one non-clinical sample (n=238) and one clinical sample (N=443) were compared to international samples investigating reliability, cut-offs and factor structure. The results show adequate reliability and concurrent validity. The means, clinical cut offs, and the reliable change index vary across countries. However the means of the OQ for nonclinical samples correlates highly with external values of national well-being, indicating that the OQ is a valid instrument internationally. The factor analyses in the present study do not confirm the hypothesized factor structure of the OQ, but are similar to the results internationally.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2014). Implementation of an intensive short-term dynamic treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders in residential care. BMC Psychiatry. 14. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-14-12. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: This protocol presents a systematic residential treatment- and research program aimed at patients who have not responded adequately to previous treatment attempts. Patients included in the program primarily suffer from anxiety and/or depressive disorders and usually from one or more comorbid personality disorders. The treatment program is time-limited (eight weeks) and has its basis in treatment principles specified in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP). This treatment modality is theoretically well-suited for the handling of various forms of treatment resistance presumably central to these patients’ previous non-response to psychological and psychiatric interventions. Methods/Design: The research component of the project entails a naturalistic longitudinal research design which aims at systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of the program. To our knowledge, this is one of the first treatment programs and corresponding research projects that systematically select patients with previous non- or negative response to treatment and subjects them to a broad and comprehensive, but theoretically unified and consistent treatment system. Discussion: The present paper introduces the project, describes its theoretical and methodological underpinnings, and discusses possible future implications and contributions of the project. It thereby serves as a comprehensive background reference to future publications from the project.

• Falkentröm, Fredrik; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Möller, Clara; Lech, Börje; Sandell, Rolf & Holmqvist, Rolf (2014). Reflective functioning, affect consciousness, and mindfulness: Are these different functions? Psychoanalytic psychology. ISSN 0736-9735. 31(1), s. 26–40. doi: 10.1037/a0034049. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bjerke, Espen; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2014). Are There Specific Relationships Between Symptom Patterns and Interpersonal Problems Among Psychiatric Outpatients? Journal of Personality Assessment. ISSN 0022-3891. 96(2), s. 237–244. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2013.834441. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Associations between symptoms and interpersonal problems, assessed with the Symptom Checklist–90 (SCL–90–R) and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems–64-item version (IIP–64), are examined in a large psychiatric outpatient sample. On the basis of the IIP–64 scores, the sample was divided into 8 subgroups, made up of different types of predominant interpersonal problems. These octant groups were used as independent variables in analyses testing hypothesized associations with symptom subscales of the SCL–90–R. In general, strong associations between symptoms and interpersonal problems were found. In addition, hostile and paranoid ideation symptoms displayed significant differences among octant groups, and were associated with interpersonal problems of the vindictive/self-centered kind. Phobic anxiety was associated with interpersonal problems of the socially inhibited kind. Assessing specific combinations of symptoms and interpersonal problems might be useful in treatment planning and evaluation.

• Monsen, Jon Trygve & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2013). Affektintegrasjon og nivåer av mental representasjon : fokus for terapeutisk intervensjon i Affektbevissthetsmodellen. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. 50(8), s. 741–751. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Bakkevig, Jonas; Langvasbråten, Bernt & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2013). Følelser som forandrer - Intensiv dynamisk korttidsterapi. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. 50(8), s. 838–844. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Affective Change – Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) is characterized by the therapist’s sustained effort to help patients get optimal access to feelings through the pressure for feelings, deactivation of defenses and regulation of anxiety. ISTDP is (a) intensive, in the sense that the therapist aims to help the patients to feel their feelings as deeply as possible, (b) psychodynamic, in the sense that the therapist is actively working with transference feelings and the function of the unconscious, and (c) short-term, in the sense that the therapist works to keep a maximum level of pressure, adapted to the patient’s capacity, with the aim of producing the shortest possible treatment with the greatest possible effect. The authors present the theoretical basis for ISTDP, a brief overview of research on the method, and an introduction to how the therapist works with helping patients access their feelings in ISTDP

• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2013). Effective Care of Treatment-Resistant Patients in an ISTDP-Based In-Patient Treatment Program. Psychiatric annals. ISSN 0048-5713. 43(11), s. 516–522. doi: 10.3928/00485713-20131105-07. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Havik, Odd E. & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2012). Affect integration as a predictor of change: Affect consciousness and treatment response in open-ended psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. 22(6), s. 656–672. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2012.700871. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bjerke, Espen; Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2011). Interpersonal problems among 988 Norwegian psychiatric outpatients. A study of pretreatment self-reports. Comprehensive Psychiatry. ISSN 0010-440X. 52(3), s. 273–279. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2010.07.004. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Hansen, Roger Sandvik & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2011). Affect integration and reflective function: Clarification of central conceptual issues. Psychotherapy Research. ISSN 1050-3307. 21(4), s. 482–496. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2011.583696. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The importance of affect regulation, modulation or integration for higher-order reflection and adequate functioning is increasingly emphasized across different therapeutic approaches and theories of change. These processes are probably central to any psychotherapeutic endeavor, whether explicitly conceptualized or not, and in recent years a number of therapeutic approaches have been developed that explicitly target them as a primary area of change. However, there still is important lack of clarity in the field regarding the understanding and operationalization of affect integration, particularly when it comes to specifying underlying mechanisms, the significance of different affect states, and the establishment of operational criteria for measurement. The conceptual relationship between affect integration and reflective function thus remains ambiguous. The present article addresses these topics, indicating ways in which a more complex and exhaustive understanding of integration of affect, cognition and behavior can be attained.

• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Havik, Odd E. & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2011). Assessment of Affect Integration: Validation of the Affect Consciousness Construct. Journal of Personality Assessment. ISSN 0022-3891. 93(3), s. 257–265. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2011.558874. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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• Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Stenberg, Jan-Henry; Suoma, Saarni E. & Rosenström, Tom Henrik (2025). Evaluating Internet-Based CBT for Depression in Patients with Prior Borderline Personality Disorder: Evidence from Finnish Registry Data. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) has demonstrated comparable effectiveness to traditional psychotherapy for mild to moderate depression, as shown in a recent large-scale Finnish registry study (Rosenström et al., 2025). In routine care, patients with comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD) are often referred to more intensive treatment formats, and registry data suggest they receive significantly more psychotherapy sessions than individuals with depression alone, even when symptom severity is comparable (van Bronswijk et al., 2021). Findings such as this may contribute to clinicians hesitating to offer low-intensity treatments, such as iCBT, to patients with current or prior BPD diagnoses. However, to our knowledge, no studies have directly assessed whether a history of BPD is associated with reduced effectiveness of iCBT for depression. In this study, we will use data from the HUS-iCBT registry and the Finnish Psychotherapy Quality Register (FPQR) to investigate whether: A BPD diagnosis (ICD-10 F60.3) moderates the effectiveness of iCBT for depression. Conventional face-to-face CBT (fCBT) yields superior outcomes for patients with prior BPD compared to iCBT. BPD is associated with increased dropout in iCBT. Our analyses will focus on patients diagnosed with mild to moderate depressive episodes (ICD-10 F32.0–F32.1), with symptom severity assessed using the PHQ-9 or BDI. Linear mixed-effects models will test for moderation effects, compare outcomes between iCBT and fCBT, and examine dropout patterns by diagnostic subgroup.

• Høstmælingen, Andreas Teisner; Nissen-Lie, Helene, Amundsen; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2025). Practice oriented research in Norway: Improvements in interpersonal problems predict subsequent improvement in depressive symptoms during open-ended psychotherapy for adults with depression. doi: https:/cdn.ymaws.com/www.psychotherapyresearch.org/resource/resmgr/spr2025/spr_meeting_program_2025.pdf. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective: Depressed patients often experience interpersonal distress. Understanding how interpersonal distress and depressive symptoms are associated may have implications for understanding the aetiology and maintenance of depression, as well as for treatment. In this practice-oriented research program, we explored whether change in depressive symptoms predicted subsequent change in interpersonal distress or vice versa. Method: Depressive symptoms (depression scale of the SCL-90-R), and interpersonal problems (IIP-64) were assessed on 9 occasions including before, during, and after treatment, and at 1 and 2.5-years’ follow-up in a sample of 178 depressed patients receiving open-ended psychotherapy. We used latent curve modelling with structured residuals (LCM-SR) to assess possible reciprocal relations between interpersonal problems and depression, controlling for personality disorder (PD). Results: The findings showed that interpersonal distress had a slower rate of change compared to depressive symptoms, but improvements in interpersonal distress predicted subsequent improvement in depressive symptoms during psychotherapy and this effect was stable over time. Patients with comorbid PD had higher initial levels of both depression and interpersonal distress, but there were no differences in rates of change for any of the outcomes. Conclusion: Our results indicate that improvements in interpersonal problems may play an important role in alleviating depressive symptoms during psychotherapy. We propose that reduction of interpersonal distress is associated with increased interpersonal flexibility, which may lead to more positive responses from others, thereby contributing to a reduction in depressive symptom

• Schmidt, Fabian; Kurzawski, Maximilian; Hammerfald, Karin; Jahren, Henrik Haaland; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Vlassov, Vladimir (2024). A Scalable System Architecture for Composition and Deployment of Machine Learning Models in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Schmidt, Fabian; Hammerfald, Karin; Jahren, Henrik Haaland; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Payberah, Amir H. & Vlassov, Vladimir (2023). Using Machine Learning to Recommend Personalized Modular Treatments for Common Mental Health Disorders. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Oddli, Hanne Berit Weie; Nissen-Lie, Helene, Amundsen; Hagen, Roger; Halvorsen, Margrethe S.; Råbu, Marit & Solbakken, Ole Andre [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Psykoterapi har god effekt – selv om NRK sår tvil. Morgenbladet. ISSN 0805-3847. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Steimoen, Teodor Melker Nytrøen; Høstmælingen, Andreas Teisner; Nissen-Lie, Helene Amundsen; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2022). Toward a more nuanced understanding of the role of the working alliance in producing therapeutic benefits. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Nissen-Lie, Helene, Amundsen; Oddli, Hanne Berit Weie; Råbu, Marit; Stänicke, Erik & Hagen, Roger [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Folkeopplysningens konklusjon er misvisende. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. s. 1051–1052. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Holman, Per Arne; Halland, Even; Victor, Mattias Erik; Aasen, Harald; Nystuen, Pål & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2021). Lovisenbergmodellen for systematisk tilbakemelding Lovisenbergmodellen for systematisk innhenting av tilbakemeldinger fra pasientene kan gi bedre behandling, bedre organisering av tjenestene og økt brukermedvirkning. Tidsskrift Norsk Psykologforening. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  I mange år har det vært fokusert mye på ulike kvalitetsindikatorer innen psykisk helsevern. Det handler som regel om at frister må holdes, aktivitet må telles, prosedyrer må kodes, dokumenter må være på plass, og forskrifter og lover må følges. Med innføring av pakkeforløpene ønsker også myndighetene å sette en kvalitativ standard for tjenesten, blant annet for å sikre et mest mulig likeverdig behandlingstilbud i hele landet. Felles for flere av disse kvalitetsindikatorene er imidlertid at de er initiert ovenfra, med begrenset forankring hos de som gir eller mottar behandlingen. De omhandler også som regel administrative og organisatoriske forhold rundt tjenesten, og ikke kvaliteten på behandlingen per se. Som representanter for tjenesten og behandlere savner vi kvalitetsindikatorer som dreier seg om kvaliteten på innholdet i behandlingen: Opplever pasienten tillit til sin behandler? Er pasienten enig i målet med behandlingen og måten å jobbe med problemene på? Er symptomene på psykiske plager og problemer endret? Opplever pasienten bedre relasjoner, meningsfulle aktiviteter og mer mestring? Vi mener at kvalitet må undersøkes på andre måter enn vi gjør i dag, for å få svar på om vi gir god behandling til pasientene våre. Det er på tide å spørre pasienten på en systematisk måte hvordan de har det, og hvordan de opplever behandlingen. Det er også på tide å undersøke på gruppenivå om behandlingen faktisk virker. Eller mer presist: Hva virker for hvem? Hvem klarer vi ikke å hjelpe? Hva påvirker våre behandlingsresultater? Har endringer eller mangel på endring sammenheng med hvordan vi tilbyr og organiserer tjenestene?

• Nordmo, Magnus; Monsen, Jon Trygve; Høglend, Per Andreas & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2021). Comparing the magnitude of improvement for patients with and without personality disorders in open-ended psychotherapy. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. ISSN 1949-2715. doi: 10.1037/per0000474. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Fredriksen, Christina Kjær; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Licht, Rasmus W.; Jørgensen, Carsten René; Rodrigo-Domingo, Maria & Telleus, Gry Kjærsdam (2021). The Relationship between Affect Integration and Psychopathology in Patients with Personality Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study. Medicina. ISSN 1010-660X. doi: 10.3390/medicina57060627. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Skånland, Marie Strand; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Trondalen, Gro (2019). Roundtable: Emotional competence trough music engagement. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Frederickson, Jon; DenDooven, Bonnie; Abbass, Allan; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Rousmaniere, Tony (2019). Pilot study: An inpatient drug rehabilitation program based on intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Journal of Addictive Diseases. ISSN 1055-0887. 37(3-4). doi: 10.1080/10550887.2019.1658513. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Addiction programs are plagued with high dropout and relapse rates. A large proportion of patients suffering from addiction also suffer from personality disorders. A 30-day inpatient program based on intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy was developed to address features of personality disorders such as anxiety regulation, emotion recognition, and handling of fear responses and projective processes. The hypothesis was that addressing comorbid symptoms of personality disorder might improve recovery from drug addiction. We used a pilot randomized controlled trial design with six-month follow-up of both cases and controls. Rates of remission, relapse and drop out were recorded at each time point. N-1 chi-squared (χ2) tests were conducted to examine the statistical significance of differences in outcomes in patients receiving the experimental treatment and controls. A control group of 20 patients and an experimental group of 42 patients were treated. Dropout: control group 40%; experimental group 23.8%. Sobriety at six months: control group 17.6%, experimental group 48.8%. Future study is warranted to examine intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy’s long-term effects, study moderators of effects, and study its efficacy using a randomized controlled design.

• Nissen-Lie, Helene A; Solbakken, Ole Andre & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2018). Are we on the same page? Alliance convergence and its impact on therapy outcomes. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre & Abbass, Allan (2015). Erratum: Intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders (J. Affect. Disord. (2015) 181 (67-77) 10.1016/j.jad.2015.04.003). Journal of Affective Disorders. ISSN 0165-0327. 184, s. 89–89. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.035. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Sønderland, Nils Martin; Sundal, Martin Seem & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2014). Affect Representation and Intervention Focus(ARIF): A coding system for modeling micro processes in therapeutic dialogues. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre (2013). Arbeid med følelser - integrerende element i psykopterapi. I Benum, Kirsten; Axelsen, Eva & Hartmann, Ellen Johanne (Red.), God Psykoterapi: Et Integrativt Perspektiv. Pax Forlag. ISSN 9788253035987. s. 142–172. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nissen-Lie, Helene A; Høglend, Per Andreas; Monsen, Jon Trygve; Havik, Odd E.; Rønnestad, Michael Helge & Solbakken, Ole Andre [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2013). Therapists' experiences of difficulties inpractice and their self-images (introjects). Does the interplay between thesefactors affect patient outcome from psychotherapy? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Solbakken, Ole Andre; Havik, Odd E. & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2008). Interpersonal problems and personality disorders. Some findings from the Norwegian Multicenter Project for the Study of Process and Outcome of Psychotherapy. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Solbakken, Ole Andre; Hansen, Roger Sandvik; Havik, Odd E. & Monsen, Jon Trygve (2008). Affect consciousness and mental health; measurement issues, validity and prediction of change. Some findings from the Norwegian Multicenter Project for the Study of Process and Outcome of Psychotherapy. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønderland, Nils Martin; Monsen, Jon Trygve & Solbakken, Ole Andre (2026). Exploring the role of affect integration in the processes and outcomes of psychotherapy. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In recent years, increasing attention has been directed toward understanding the processes and mechanisms that underlie the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions (Crits-Christoph et al., 2013; Elliott, 2010; Kazdin, 2009). Among these, emotional change processes and mechanisms have been highlighted as particularly promising (Gross, 2013; Whelton, 2004), given their central role in both adaptive psychological functioning and the development and maintenance of psychopathology (Aldao et al., 2010; Power & Dalgleish, 2015). The overarching aim of this research project was to advance a broader and more nuanced understanding of emotional change in psychotherapy by conducting an extensive review of the relevant literature and by examining the validity of a specific theoretical framework: Affect Integration. The thesis consisted of three studies. In Paper I, we aimed to summarize the current state of knowledge on emotional change processes and mechanisms, and their associations with psychotherapy outcomes. To this end, we conducted a systematic review and meta analysis of the primary change processes and mechanisms identified in the literature. A total of 121 studies, representing 92 unique samples, met the inclusion criteria. The emotional change processes and mechanisms most robustly associated with positive outcomes were fear habituation across sessions in exposure-based treatments for anxiety disorders (r = .38), experiencing in psychotherapy for depression (r = .44), and emotion regulation in psychotherapies for various anxiety disorders (r = .37). Despite differences in emphasis and theoretical lineage, these processes appear to converge on a shared underlying function: the reorganization of maladaptive emotional perception. In Paper II, we examined affect integration as a potential mechanism of change in the treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Affect integration refers to the functional and fluent integration of affect with cognition and behavior (Solbakken et al., 2011) and is operationalized in terms of the individual’s capacity for awareness, tolerance, and both nonverbal and verbal expression of nine discrete emotions (Solbakken et al., 2017). Research has shown that individuals with SAD often struggle to accurately perceive and adaptively utilize their emotions (Rozen & Aderka, 2023). Accordingly, we hypothesized that improvements in affect integration would be associated with reductions in social anxiety symptoms and interpersonal difficulties. The sample consisted of 88 clients who provided self-reports on affect integration, social anxiety, and interpersonal functioning at five time points during treatment and follow-up. We disaggregated the within- and between-person components of these variables and examined the lagged effects of affect integration on subsequent symptoms. As hypothesized, time-specific increases in affect integration predicted reductions in both social anxiety symptoms and interpersonal problems. In Paper III, we aimed to evaluate the utility of Affect Integration Theory (AIT; Monsen & Solbakken 2013; Solbakken et al., 2011) in describing core psychotherapeutic change processes through a theory-building case study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to examine a successful course of affect-consciousness focused therapy (ACT, Monsen & Monsen, 1999) with a client suffering from depression. The client’s nuclear script—representing a central affective conflict—was identified prior to treatment. Drawing on AIT, the Affect Representation and Intervention Focus (ARIF; Monsen & Solbakken, 2013) coding system was applied to track therapist and client change processes across sessions. Affect consciousness and depressive symptoms were assessed on a session by-session basis. The qualitative analysis involved an in-depth review of session transcripts and video recordings. The nuclear script indicated that several uncomfortable feelings tended to merge and were encoded as a generalized diffuse and mixed state of discomfort and anxiety. Three main therapeutic phases were identified: (1) increased differentiation and integration of affects (shame, sadness, contempt, and anxiety) embedded in the nuclear script; (2) enhanced capacity to express discrete emotions in relational contexts; and (3) development of more nuanced and realistic representations of self and others. A notable finding was that early integration of aversive affects (i.e., contempt and disgust) appeared to facilitate access to sadness and grief related to past injustices. Contempt and disgust initially emerged as taboo feelings, but were relatively early on better integrated, with a clear signaling function in the form of a strong distancing from some of his father’s ways of behaving. After these (for him) unacceptable feelings became more integrated, they were also less fused with other emotional states such as shame, fear, and sadness. Increased affect integration and differentiation involved a clearer conceptualization of his own feelings, a clearer sense of self and self boundaries, a greater capacity to grieve and accept loss, and a more undisturbed access to joy and other positive feelings. The initially paralyzing feelings of shame and self-criticism were, by the end of the therapy process, transformed into greater humility and openness. Cross lagged regression analyses further showed that improvements in affect consciousness systematically predicted subsequent reductions in depressive symptoms, while the converse was not true. Collectively, the three studies contribute to a more nuanced understanding of emotional change in psychotherapy. Meta-analytic findings indicate that several emotional change processes—such as fear habituation, emotional experiencing, and emotion regulation—are robustly associated with therapeutic improvement. These processes appear to converge on a shared underlying function: the reorganization of maladaptive emotional perception. Affect integration emerged as a plausible mechanism of change in the treatment of social anxiety disorder, and findings from the theory-building case study highlighted its role in the treatment of depression.

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