Falk Leichsenring1, Sven Rabung. 1. Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany. Falk.Leichsenring@psycho.med.uni-giessen.de
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dose-effect relationship data suggest that short-term psychotherapy is insufficient for many patients with chronic distress or personality disorders (complex mental disorders). AIMS: To examine the comparative efficacy of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) in complex mental disorders. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis of controlled trials of LTPP fulfilling the following inclusion criteria: therapy lasting for at least a year or 50 sessions; active comparison conditions; prospective design; reliable and valid outcome measures; treatments terminated. Ten studies with 971 patients were included. RESULTS: Between-group effect sizes in favour of LTPP compared with less intensive (lower dose) forms of psychotherapy ranged between 0.44 and 0.68. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that LTPP is superior to less intensive forms of psychotherapy in complex mental disorders. Further research on long-term psychotherapy is needed, not only for psychodynamic psychotherapy, but also for other therapies.
BACKGROUND: Dose-effect relationship data suggest that short-term psychotherapy is insufficient for many patients with chronic distress or personality disorders (complex mental disorders). AIMS: To examine the comparative efficacy of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) in complex mental disorders. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis of controlled trials of LTPP fulfilling the following inclusion criteria: therapy lasting for at least a year or 50 sessions; active comparison conditions; prospective design; reliable and valid outcome measures; treatments terminated. Ten studies with 971 patients were included. RESULTS: Between-group effect sizes in favour of LTPP compared with less intensive (lower dose) forms of psychotherapy ranged between 0.44 and 0.68. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that LTPP is superior to less intensive forms of psychotherapy in complex mental disorders. Further research on long-term psychotherapy is needed, not only for psychodynamic psychotherapy, but also for other therapies.
Authors: Peter Fonagy; Felicitas Rost; Jo-Anne Carlyle; Susan McPherson; Rachel Thomas; R M Pasco Fearon; David Goldberg; David Taylor Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2015-10 Impact factor: 49.548