title: Toward a general concept of the therapeutic process.
abstract: Using clinical psychoanalytic theory as a unifying concept, an attempt is made to observe, interpret, and integrate the therapeutic process in a wide variety of psychotherapies. All psychotherapy, regardless of specific form or technique, is viewed as an interpersonal or intrapersonal process, and should be understandable from a psychoanalytic perspective. Ten common factors are selected: structure of the therapeutic situation; the therapeutic relationship; management of anxiety; drives and their derivatives; mechanisms of defense; identification; regression; catharsis and abbreaction; external reinforcement; structural change. The various psychotherapies are compared regarding each of the ten factors.
mesh_terms: D000035:Abreaction; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002399:Catharsis; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005086:Existentialism; D005864:Gestalt Therapy; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D014152:Transactional Analysis