0000000000020770
AUTHOR
Paul Knekt
Associations between the Rorschach Ego Impairment Index and Measures on Intrapsychic and Interpersonal Functioning
The Rorschach Ego Impairment Index-2 (EII-2) has shown considerable validity as a measure of personality disturbance. However, few studies have been conducted on the associations between the EII-2 and measures related to ego strength and interpersonal capacities in mood and anxiety disorder patients. This study examined the strength of associations between the EII-2 and its subcomponents with measures of psychological suitability for psychotherapy, personality functioning, and interpersonal problems. A total of 315 outpatients with mood or anxiety disorders were assessed with the Rorschach Comprehensive System (RCS), comprising the EII-2, the Suitability for Psychotherapy Scale (SPS), the I…
Ego Impairment Index (EII-2) as a predictor of outcome in short- and long-term psychotherapy during a 5-year follow-up
Objective This study examined the predictive ability of the Rorschach-based Ego Impairment Index (EII-2) on outcome of psychotherapy in different types and durations of therapy. Method A total of 326 outpatients suffering from depressive or anxiety disorders were randomized into receiving solution-focused (n = 97), short-term psychodynamic (n = 101), or long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (n = 128). Psychotherapy outcome assessments during the 5-year follow-up period covered psychiatric symptoms, social functioning, and work ability. Results Lower EII-2 values, which indicate less problematic ego functioning, were found to predict faster improvement in both short-term therapies as compare…
Predicting the working alliance over the course of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy with the Rorschach Ego Impairment Index, self-reported defense style, and performance-based intelligence: An evaluation of three methodological approaches.
Better therapeutic alliances are known to predict better treatment outcomes, but little knowledge still exists on the patient characteristics that lead to better alliances. In a sample of 128 outpatients assigned to long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and suffering from mood and/or anxiety disorder, this study evaluated how the alliance, measured using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), is predicted by three different measures for assessing psychological resources and vulnerabilities: the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS–R), the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), and the Rorschach-based Ego Impairment Index (EII-2). All the three measures showed some ability to predict t…
Sero-epidemiologal association between human-papillomavirus infection and risk of prostate cancer
Some epidemiological studies of prostate cancer have suggested the existence of a sexually transmitted risk factor, and some studies have reported the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in prostate-cancer tissue. To perform a sero-epidemiological evaluation of whether HPV infection is associated with increased risk for prostate cancer, we performed a nested case-control study within a serum bank containing samples from 20,243 healthy Finnish men. We identified 165 cases of prostate cancer that were diagnosed up to 24 years after donation of the serum sample. Two control subjects per case were selected, matched for gender, age and municipality of residence. Serum samples were analyze…