Background: Psychosomatic disorders, characterized by the interplay of psychological and physical factors, often manifest as gastrointestinal symptoms, and traditional medical treatments alone may not effectively address the underlying psychological factors, leading to persistent or recurring issues.
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate whether Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is more efficacious than a control group in enhancing ego strength and alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals diagnosed with psychosomatic disorders.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-assessments, a two-month follow-up, and a control group was conducted on 32 randomly assigned participants in District 3 of Tehran in 2020. The experimental group received 15 sessions of 90-minute ISTDP, while the control group received no intervention. Participants were assessed using the Psychological Inventory of Ego Strength (PIES) and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data using SPSS-22. Bonferroni post hoc tests were conducted to compare the experimental and control groups at each time point (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up).
Results: Findings revealed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of ego strength and gastrointestinal dysfunctions at the post-test (P<0.001). ISTDP led to a significant improvement in ego strength and a reduction in gastrointestinal symptoms in psychosomatic patients with gastrointestinal complaints at post-test (P<0.001).
Conclusion: ISTDP is a promising treatment for psychosomatic disorders, particularly those involving gastrointestinal symptoms. ISTDP effectively enhances ego strength, a key factor in mental health, and can also alleviate physical symptoms.