Innovative moments as developmental change levels: a case study on meaning integration in the treatment of depression

Innovative moments are alternative meanings to the problems expressed by clients and are organized into three levels. This study analyzes if these levels are not only change markers related to symptomatology outcomes, but also gradual steps in meaning development. A thematic analysis was carried out in a case of depression treated with narrative therapy. Results revealed three themes that evolved from level 1 to level 3. Levels 1 and 2 corresponded to one specific theme and almost all level 3 integrated different themes (polythematic). Level 3 innovative moments might be an integrative bridge allowing the construction of a more adaptive meaning framework.
The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology supported this research with the doctoral grant SFRH/BD/86808/2012. This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Center (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education through national funds and cofinanced by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653).