Qualitative multi-centered study: Trustworthiness of the three-level model (3-LM) Part 1

Area of Science:

• Psychoanalysis
• Psychotherapy Research
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• The 3-Level Model (3-LM) is a heuristic for observing patient change, utilized by the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) since 2011.
• The model's trustworthiness requires empirical validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the trustworthiness of the 3-Level Model (3-LM).
• To compare the application of the 3-LM by psychoanalytic groups across different geographical regions.

Main Methods:

• Three groups of IPA-certified analysts (Europe, North America, South America) analyzed the same clinical case.
• Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method for Levels 1 and 3; Operationalised Psychodynamic Diagnosis (OPD-2) for Level 2.

Main Results:

• Predominant convergence was observed between the analyst groups across all analyzed levels of the 3-LM.
• Some points of divergence were noted, indicating areas for further investigation.

Conclusions:

• The study supports the trustworthiness of the 3-Level Model (3-LM) in psychoanalytic observation and description of patient change.
• Findings have implications for psychoanalytic clinical practice, training, and research, suggesting model reliability.