Treatment of narcissistic problems in time-limited psychotherapy

Abstract

Time-limited psychotherapy is being used with an expanding variety of emotional disorders, often as the treatment of choice. Clinical experience indicates that this form of treatment can produce major and enduring improvements. Persons suffering from major narcissistic problems generally are assumed to be impervious to time-limited treatments. However, long-term treatment is becoming less feasible because of financial considerations. Time-limited psychotherapy can provide circumscribed symptomatic relief by fostering increased use of defensive intellectualization and related ego-coping skills. Transference interpretations directed toward connecting maladaptive behavior patterns outside of therapy to past childhood relationship patterns proved most effective.