The effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic therapy: a systematic review of empirical studies.
BACKGROUND
There is a gap in the research literature on the effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic therapies (LPT).


OBJECTIVE
To present a systematic review of studies dealing with LPT effectiveness and published from 1970 onward.


METHODS
A systematic literature search for studies dealing with the effectiveness of individual LPT in ambulatory, adult patients. Data about the overall effectiveness of LPT, its impact on symptom reduction, and its effect on personality changes were pooled both at treatment termination and at follow-up, using effect sizes (ESs) and success rates.


RESULTS
We found 27 studies (n = 5063). Psychotherapy yielded large mean ESs (0.78 at termination; 0.94 at follow-up) and high mean overall success rates (64% at termination; 55% at follow-up) in moderate/mixed pathology. The mean ES was larger for symptom reduction (1.03) than for personality change (0.54). In severe pathology, the results were similar. Psychoanalysis achieved large mean ESs (0.87 at termination; 1.18 at follow-up) and high mean overall success rates (71% at termination; 54% at follow-up) in moderate pathology. The mean ES for symptom reduction was larger (1.38) than for personality change (0.76).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that LPT is effective treatment for a large range of pathologies, with moderate to large effects.
de Maat
Saskia
S
Mentrum Institute for Mental Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
de Jonghe
Frans
F
Schoevers
Robert
R
Dekker
Jack
J
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome