Skin conductance changes and psychotherapeutic content in the treatment of a phobic patient.

This study examined the relationship between skin conductance response (SCR) and psychotherapeutic content in a single case study. Four SCR conditions of one minute's duration each, reflecting maximal increase (amplitude) and least amount of change as well as one-minute periods preceding these criterion conditions, were measured for each psychotherapy session across 12 consecutive sessions. Psychotherapeutic content corresponding to these SCR conditions was evaluated according to 14 categories by five judges. There were significant relationships between SCR conditions and four psychotherapeutic content categories. Increases in SCR corresponded to a decreasing sense of mastery, increased symptom experience, increased symptom occurrence, and increased negative affects. This study suggests that there was a relationship between a responsive physiological measure and relevant psychotherapeutic content categories in an individual patient.