Analyzing Effectiveness of Long-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Aaron T. Beck, MD abeck@mail.med.upenn.edu;
- Sunil S. Bhar, PhDDepartment of PsychiatryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- DATA INTERPRETATION, STATISTICAL
- META-ANALYSIS AS TOPIC
- PSYCHOTHERAPY
- PUBLICATION BIAS
- RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS AS TOPIC
- TIME FACTORS
To the Editor: In their meta-analysis of the effectiveness of LTPP, Drs Leichsenring and Rabung1 concluded that LTPP was significantly superior to shorter-term methods of psychotherapy with regard to overall outcome, target problems, and personality functioning. There are multiple problems with their meta-analysis that mitigate the scientific credibility of this conclusion.
First, the designation of “shorter-term methods of psychotherapy” included 5 treatments that did not constitute formal psychotherapy as it is generally understood. These treatments consisted of a waitlist control condition, nutritional counseling, standard psychiatric care, low-contact routine treatment, and treatment as usual (TAU) in the community. Such “mixing apples and oranges” is problematic in meta-analyses.
Second, the selection of studies appears biased in favor of LTPP. One study2 supportive of LTPP had previously been classified in a meta-analysis by Leichsenring and Rabung3 as involving short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) but was reclassified in the present meta-analysis as …
