Results of Psychotherapy

Abstract

The paper reports the results of analytical psychotherapy on 201 consecutive ambulatory private patients. The amount of therapeutic change depended on the measure used. This varied from 20 per cent. and 40 per cent. to 75 per cent. marked improvement. The illness of a lifetime (average 15 years) had been "cured" in 4 out of 10 cases, the improvement lasting with only a 10 per cent. loss at follow up (20 months). To be effective, therapy must be regular at least once a week, over a minimum period (15-42 sessions in 3-7 months) but not necessarily prolonged or with high density of sessions. Other factors affecting results were discussed.