In my Repository class I use the following code to query:
$query = $this->getEntityManager()->createQuery(\"
SELECT s.term, COUNT(s.term) AS freq
Use INDEX BY :
$em = $this->getEntityManager();
$query = $em->createQuery('SELECT c FROM SomeBundle:Configuration c INDEX BY c.name');
$query->getResult(\Doctrine\ORM\Query::HYDRATE_ARRAY);
I saw it here and it works fine : https://coderwall.com/p/crz4dq/defining-a-column-to-be-the-key-of-the-result-hydrated-as-array-in-doctrine-2