Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: An Effectiveness Study

Abstract

Objective: Both the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychological Association have called upon psychodynamic practitioners to start demonstrating their outcomes. This effectiveness study attempted to begin to answer these calls. Method: The study was a secondary analysis of data from a multidisciplinary, psychodynamic mental health clinic. It used a single-group, within-subjects longitudinal design. The psychometrically validated Outcome Questionnaire was used as a measure of change. A linear mixed and random effects model was used to analyze the data. The aims of this study were (a) to look at whether patients improve and (b) if so, at what variables moderate outcome. Results: Findings suggest that psychodynamic treatment, provided within this practice configuration, is effective over time, producing moderate effect sizes, and points to the particular importance of the first 3 months. Conclusions: Findings suggest a common course of recovery, with some between-group variability.

Long‐term outcome and post‐treatment effects of psychoanalytic psychotherapy with young adults

“…A 1-year follow-up of 23 patients in psychoanalytic therapy also revealed stable change in psychiatric symptoms and a tendency towards improvement of interpersonal problems over the follow-up period (Leichsenring, Biskup, Kreische, & Staats, 2005). Also, an effectiveness study of open-ended psychodynamic psychotherapy revealed a significant change during treatment, but due to attrition rates it was not possible to analyse data beyond the first year from inclusion (Roseborough, 2006). A meta-analysis of psychodynamic psychotherapies with duration of at least 1 year of treatment identified 11 studies that reported follow-up data (Leichsenring & Rabung, 2008).…”

“…Published studies of long‐term effects of psychotherapy, all naturalistic and quasi‐experimental in design, have reported mixed results. A Swedish study of subsidized psychoanalytic treatments and psychoanalytic psychotherapies reported a positive development from pre‐treatment to follow‐up with decreased levels of psychiatric suffering during the post‐treatment period (Blomberg, Lazar, & Sandell, 2001; Sandell et al , 2000), especially for patients in psychoanalysis. A German retrospective study of a similar population found that between 70 and 80% of the patients reported that their well‐being had increased and that the change achieved during treatment was stable during the post‐treatment period (Leuzinger‐Bohleber, Stuhr, Ruger, & Beutel, 2003).…”

Social Work Education and Clinical Learning: Towards Evidence-Based Practice?

“…• By all means present concepts central to the field of clinical social work, but do this using theory-neutral language. This can readily be done for constructs such as 'relationship ', 'person-in-environment', 'human development', 'resistance', 'assessment and diagnosis', etc Roseborough's (2006) analysis of the outcomes of psychodynamic psychotherapy, Cody's (1991) investigation of the role of process variables in psychodynamic psychotherapy, or Besa's (1994) Bachrach, 1993;Erle & Goldberg, 2003;Fonagy, 2002;Knight, 1941;Sandell et al, 2000;Sashin, Eldred & van Amerogen, 1975;Shapiro & Emde, 1995;Weber, Bachrach & Solomon, 1985). While we have much to learn from these projects, clinical social workers also have much to contribute to such studies.…”

Cochrane Reviews of non‐medication‐based psychotherapeutic and other interventions for schizophrenia, psychosis, and bipolar disorder: A systematic literature review

“…Malmberg & Fenton (2001) did not identify benefits due to a lack of evidence. Roseborough (2006), in an effectiveness study, indicates that psychodynamic psychotherapy is one of the main forms of therapy used today, but one that has not been evaluated. Previous efficacy studies are questionable as the designs of these studies are not able to be applied to actual clinical situations.…”

“…This is explored further in the limitations of the study. In a study of 164 patients which looks at improved patient outcomes, Roseborough (2006) concludes that psychodynamic psychotherapy is clinically and statistically significant.…”