Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.7
3.0
Journals
JCM
Special Issues
Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
share announcement

Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 7389

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dariusz Krok

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Psychology, University of Opole, Opole, Poland
Interests: clinical psychology; health psychology; quality of life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The topic of treatment personalization in clinical psychology and psychotherapy has recently been attracting increasing attention as an effective way of improving the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions and enhancing the quality of life of people experiencing mental health problems or disorders. Recent research has emphasized the significance of the mutual relationship between the specific interventions and the patient as a crucial factor in treatment effectiveness. Personalized treatment methods enhance this collaboration by aligning treatment strategies with patient characteristics.

The essence of personalization is to tailor the specific intervention features to the individual characteristics of the patient and to decide which therapeutic interventions are likely to be beneficial and effective for the final treatment outcomes. This is important because there are now a number of different therapeutic approaches that offer diverse treatment methods. In clinical psychology and psychotherapy, personalization can take different forms, depending on the therapeutic possibilities and the goals formulated. Significant elements of this include determining the appropriate level of intervention, identifying the person’s most important personal and social characteristics, selecting constructive elements or treatment modules, setting therapeutic goals, or matching patients to specific treatments. Personalized treatment in clinical psychology and psychotherapy comprises a comprehensive understanding of the patient, integrating insights from psychological, biological, and social domains.

The aim of this Special Issue is to identify individual patient characteristics and the main ways to optimize treatment. The theoretical foundations, empirical findings, and practical applications of personalized treatment in clinical psychology and psychotherapy will be examined.

Research topics of interest include the following:

The theoretical foundations of treatment personalization;
The role of personality and social characteristics in treatment;
Individual ways of coping with stress in somatic illness;
The effectiveness of treatment personalization interventions;
The selection of optimal therapeutic approaches in treatment;
Psychosomatic interventions;
Cognitive and emotional processes in treatment personalization;
Psychological needs and treatment preferences.

Dr. Dariusz Krok
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • treatment personalization
  • clinical psychology
  • psychotherapy
  • personalized treatment
  • psychosomatic interventions
  • coping and personalization

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

11 pages, 233 KiB  
Article
Is Alexithymia a Trait or a State? Temporal Stability in a Three-Wave Longitudinal Study
by Paweł Larionow, Karolina Mudło-Głagolska and David A. Preece
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(8), 2628; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14082628 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 245
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Alexithymia is a construct involving deficits in the cognitive processing of emotions. It is often regarded as an important risk factor for a variety of psychopathologies, but there is ongoing uncertainty about whether it might act as a stable trait, or [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Alexithymia is a construct involving deficits in the cognitive processing of emotions. It is often regarded as an important risk factor for a variety of psychopathologies, but there is ongoing uncertainty about whether it might act as a stable trait, or if instead it is just a state reaction to distress. Our aim was to examine absolute and relative stability of alexithymia over a period of 7 months. Methods: Our sample included 73 general community adults who, over three time points, completed the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S) and a battery of self-report questionnaires assessing several key mental health outcomes (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms, somatic complaints, well-being). Results: Our results showed strong absolute stability for PAQ-S scores, with no significant differences in alexithymia levels between the three time points (p > 0.05, η2 = 0.01, ω2 = 0.00), whereas there were differences in the scores of other mental health outcomes. We also demonstrated good relative stability of alexithymia, with its scores being independent of changes in the other health outcomes. Conclusions: Our findings therefore support the capacity for alexithymia to act as a stable trait. As such, our results help to further uncover the nature of alexithymia and support its status as a risk factor for poor affective outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 601 KiB  
Article
Latent Structure and Profiles of Emotion Regulation: Reappraisal and Suppression Patterns with the Polish Version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
by Paweł Larionow, Karolina Mudło-Głagolska and David A. Preece
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(2), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14020587 - 17 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1053
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) is a 10-item self-report measure of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal (CR) and expressive suppression (ES). This study aimed to (1) examine the latent structure of the Polish version of the ERQ, and (2) use [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) is a 10-item self-report measure of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal (CR) and expressive suppression (ES). This study aimed to (1) examine the latent structure of the Polish version of the ERQ, and (2) use it to explore different profiles of emotion regulation strategy use and their links with mental health outcomes. Methods: Our sample was 1197 Polish-speaking adults from the general community in Poland. Results: A factor analysis showed that the ERQ had strong factorial validity, with an intended two-factor structure (CR and ES factors) that was invariant across gender, age, and education categories, as well as across different levels of psychopathology symptoms and alexithymia. Our latent profile analysis extracted four emotion regulation profiles (subtypes): a Mainly Reappraisal profile (high CR, low ES), a Mainly Suppression profile (low CR with high ES), a Generally Low Regulation profile (low CR, low ES), and a Generally High Regulation profile (high CR, high ES). People with the Mainly Reappraisal profile had the best mental health outcomes, whereas people with the Mainly Suppression profile had the poorest mental health outcomes. Conclusions: Conceptually, these findings support the process model of emotion regulation, illustrating the differential affective outcomes of various emotion regulation strategies. Our results highlight the importance of considering individual differences in strategy use patterns, including combinations of strategies within an emotion regulation profile. The Polish version of the ERQ appears to be a robust measure of these key emotion regulation processes across a variety of demographic groups. To facilitate its use, including score interpretations in clinical practice, we present Polish percentile rank norms for the ERQ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 1199 KiB  
Article
Dyadic Effects of Attachment on Illness Acceptance in Patients with Breast Cancer and Spousal Caregivers: Sense of Coherence as a Mediator
by Dariusz Krok, Ewa Telka and Marcin Moroń
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(21), 6425; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13216425 - 26 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1114
Abstract
Background: Attachment styles have been found to play a significant role in adjustment to cancer. Couples often cope with breast cancer through an interdependent approach to the disease rather than just acting as individuals, and a sense of coherence is an important factor [...] Read more.
Background: Attachment styles have been found to play a significant role in adjustment to cancer. Couples often cope with breast cancer through an interdependent approach to the disease rather than just acting as individuals, and a sense of coherence is an important factor that influences these relationships. This study examined how attachment styles and sense of coherence impact illness acceptance in couples facing breast cancer within a dyadic perspective. Methods: Data were analyzed from 145 women with recently diagnosed breast cancer and their 145 partners, who attended clinic appointments related to medical treatment. They completed self-report measures of attachment, sense of coherence, and illness acceptance. Results: Higher secure attachment and low insecure attachment scores were associated with a higher sense of coherence and better illness acceptance both in women and partners. Results of actor–partner interdependence mediation models indicated that most associations between attachment styles and illness acceptance were mediated by sense of coherence within both intrapersonal (actor–actor) and interpersonal (actor–partner) effects. Conclusions: The interdependence in attachment and sense of coherence brought noticeable benefits to couples’ illness acceptance when facing breast cancer. In line with the salutogenic model, these relationships predominantly depended on the mediational function of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness, which determined cognitive and emotional reactions that influenced both patients’ and spouses’ acceptance of the disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 2984 KiB  
Systematic Review
Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia: A Meta-Analytic Review of Clinical Components to Maximize Efficacy
by Han Wool Jung, Ki Won Jang, Sangkyu Nam, Areum Kim, Junghoon Lee, Moo Eob Ahn, Sang-Kyu Lee, Yeo Jin Kim, Jae-Kyoung Shin and Daeyoung Roh
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(5), 1771; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14051771 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1075
Abstract
Background: Although digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) is considered effective for anxiety disorders, there is considerable heterogeneity in its efficacy across studies, and its varied treatment content and clinical components may explain such heterogeneity. Objective: This review aimed to identify the [...] Read more.
Background: Although digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) is considered effective for anxiety disorders, there is considerable heterogeneity in its efficacy across studies, and its varied treatment content and clinical components may explain such heterogeneity. Objective: This review aimed to identify the efficacy of digital cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder and agoraphobia, and examine whether applying relevant clinical components of interoceptive exposure, inhibitory-learning-based exposure, and personalization of treatment enhances its efficacy. Methods: Randomized controlled trials of dCBT for panic disorder and agoraphobia with passive or active controls were identified from OVID Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO. The overall effect sizes for dCBT groups (interventions through digital platforms based on the internet, mobile, computers, VR, etc.) were aggregated against passive control (placebo/sham) and active control (traditional CBT) groups. For subgroup analysis, key intervention components such as interoceptive exposure, inhibitory learning, and personalization were assessed dichotomously (0 or 1) along with other study characteristics. The stepwise meta-regression models were applied with traditional and Bayesian statistical testing. The risk of bias and publication bias of included studies were assessed. Results: Among the 31 selected studies, dCBT had an overall effect size of g = 0.70 against passive control and g = −0.05 against active control. In subgroup analysis, interoceptive exposure improved the clinical effects for both controls, and inhibitory learning and personalization increased the clinical effects for passive control along with therapist guide/support and the length of sessions. Many studies were vulnerable to therapist bias and attrition bias. No publication bias was detected. Conclusions: The heterogeneity in clinical effects of dCBT for panic and agoraphobia can be explained by the different intervention factors they include. For effective dCBT, therapists should consider the clinical components relevant to the treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 1223 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques for Depressive Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis
by Ji-Woo Seok and Jaeuk U. Kim
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(21), 6481; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13216481 - 29 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3071
Abstract
Background: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) have gained attention as a potential therapy for reducing depressive symptoms. However, the evidence remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis aims to assess the overall efficacy of EFT in treating depressive symptoms and explore moderators influencing its effectiveness. Methods [...] Read more.
Background: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) have gained attention as a potential therapy for reducing depressive symptoms. However, the evidence remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis aims to assess the overall efficacy of EFT in treating depressive symptoms and explore moderators influencing its effectiveness. Methods: A meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted, with depressive symptom reduction as the primary outcome. Meta-regression explored moderators such as the EFT format, duration, age, and depression severity. Results: The analysis showed a significant overall effect size of 1.268 for EFT in reducing depressive symptoms. A moderator analysis revealed that group-based EFT interventions were more effective than individual ones, and participants with moderate depression experienced the greatest benefits. Additionally, shorter interventions were found to be highly effective. Conclusions: EFT effectively reduces depressive symptoms, particularly in group settings and for those with moderate depression. Shorter, well-structured interventions may enhance treatment efficiency. Further studies should explore long-term effects and broader applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment Personalization in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop