The Potential Utility of Supportive Psychotherapy for Medically Admitted Patients

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46570/utjms-2026-1683

Keywords:

Supportive Psychotherapy, Inpatient, Hospitalized

Abstract

The use of psychotherapy in inpatient settings is underexplored but shows promising benefits. This review summarizes the literature on its application in both inpatient psychiatric and medical units, with a focus on supportive psychotherapy as a potential modality for providing medically hospitalized patients with psychotherapeutic care. To further explore this, we piloted an acting internship in which fourth-year medical students provided supportive psychotherapy to medically admitted patients of the psychiatry consult-liaison service. The model proved feasible and anecdotally beneficial for patients. It underscores the need for further investigation into the role of psychotherapy, and particularly supportive psychotherapy, in the care of medically admitted patients.

References

Cuijpers, P., Ciharova, M., Miguel, C., et al. Psychological treatment of depression in institutional settings: A meta-analytic review. J Affect Disord, 2021. 286: p.340-350. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.017

Cohen-Chazani, Y., Lavidor, M., Gilboa-Schechtman, E., Roe, D., Hasson-Ohayon, I. Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Psychotherapy in an Inpatient Setting: Examining the Moderating Role of Diagnosis and Therapeutic Approach. Psychiatry, 2022. 85(4): p. 399-417. doi:10.1080/00332747.2022.2062660

Diefenbach, G.J., Lord, K.A., Stubbing, J., et al. Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Inpatients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 2024. 81(12): p. 1177-1186. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.2349

Smith, T.B., Workman, C., Andrews, C., et al. Effects of psychosocial support interventions on survival in inpatient and outpatient healthcare settings: A meta-analysis of 106 randomized controlled trials. PLoS Med, 2021. 18(5): p. e1003595. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003595

Downloads

Published

2026-02-17

How to Cite

1.
Segur C. The Potential Utility of Supportive Psychotherapy for Medically Admitted Patients. Translation [Internet]. 2026 Feb. 17 [cited 2026 Feb. 17];15(S1). Available from: https://openjournals.utoledo.edu/index.php/translation/article/view/1683

Issue

Vol. 15 No. S1 (2026): Perspectives in Psychiatry: A Learners' Viewpoint

Section

Perspectives in Psychiatry: A Learner’s Viewpoint

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Conor Segur (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).