Growing Evidence for Psychodynamic Therapy for Depression

Abstract

Psychodynamic therapy (PT) for depression is the least examined treatment method for depression, compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy. This article, consisting of five randomized clinical trials of short psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy (SPSP) conducted over the last 25 years in Amsterdam, will review the trial results to provide answers to the question about which role SPSP can play in the treatment of depression. The researchers conclude that it is justified to qualify SPSP an empirically supported therapy form of PT for depression. In particular, adding SPSP to pharmacotherapy yields better results than pharmacotherapy by itself. Adding medication to SPSP may have a significant added value, but it is not as large as in the first comparison. The results also confirm no difference in efficacy between CBT and SPSP.

Keywords:

• depression
• short psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy
• clinical trial
• evidence-based practice
• psychodynamics
• clinical effectiveness

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jack J. M. Dekker

Jack J. M. Dekker, Ph.D., is head of the Research Department of Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam and professor of clinical psychology at the VU University of Amsterdam.

Mariëlle Hendriksen

Mariëlle Hendriksen, M.Sc., is a psychologist, psychoanalytic psychotherapist, and researcher at Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam and Head of treatment affairs at Dutch Psychoanalytic Institute for personality disorders.

Simone Kool

Simone Kool, M.D., Ph.D., is psychiatrist and researcher at Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam.

Laura Bakker

Laura Bakker, M.Sc., is a junior researcher at Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam.

Ellen Driessen

Ellen Driessen, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher at the VU University of Amsterdam and psychologist at GGZinGeest in Amsterdam.

Frans De Jonghe

Frans De Jonghe, Ph.D., is an emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of Amsterdam and psychoanalytic psychotherapist at a private practice in Amsterdam.

Saskia de Maat

Saskia de Maat, Ph.D., is a psychologist at Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam and researcher at the VU University of Amsterdam.

Jaap Peen

Jaap Peen, Ph.D., is a researcher at Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam.

Henricus L. Van

Henricus L. Van, M.D., Ph.D., is a psychiatrist and Residency Program Director at Arkin Mental Health Institute in Amsterdam and board member of the NPI, Dutch Psychoanalytic Institute for personality disorders.