The Effect of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on the Mental well-being of Individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

Sometimes, life’s problems and difficulties disturb the person’s adaptation and as a result, their mental balance causes mental disorders. This paper examines the effect of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on the reduction of psychological symptoms in individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder(ASPD). This is a randomized controlled trial using a pre-test-post-test design with a control group having the usual care of a standard study paper. The statistical population consists of all male prisoners with antisocial personality disorder aged 19-45 at Semnan prison. Data was collected using Symptom Check List - 90- Revised and Ryff’s scale of Psychological well-being. This paper's analysis is based on Descriptive statistics (Mean and Standard Deviation) and inferential statistics (Co-variance Analysis) and SPSS-19 statistical software. Examining the mean difference of each of the components of psychological symptoms in the intervention group (intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy) and the control group indicates a significant difference between both groups in the components of independence, self-mastery, personal growth, positive communication with others, purposeful life, self-acceptance, and psychological well-being, by removing the effect of pre-tests. The result shows that psychodynamic therapy allows the expression of emotions caused by stress in a safe environment with no feeling of rejection by the therapist, which leads to improvements in patients. Schedler (2010) believes that psychodynamic therapy, in addition to high insight and meaningful effectiveness, leads to long-term improvement in patients. This method, through a corrective emotional experience, allows a person to have the opportunity in a suitable environment to face what he has avoided throughout his life and to overcome the non-adaptive ways of interaction with himself and others (one of the components of psychological well-being).