The dodo-bird’s birth, death, and rebirth: Myths of psychotherapy and psychotherapy research

Authors

  • Klaus-Peter Seidler

Abstract

Many of the psychotherapy schools' theoretical assumptions haved turned out to be myths because psychotherapy research has not been able to confirm them. However, research has also established clear evidence for the efficacy of psychotherapy. Thus, research is not questioning the relevance of psychotherapy but rather the widespread assumptions about the mode of its functioning. The validity of the so-called dodo-bird verdict is controversial. According to the dodo-bird verdict, the most important psychotherapy schools have a similar efficacy. Sany of the current research results suggest that a medical model is not appropriate to explain psychotherapy's mode of functioning. According to this model, psychotherapy is effective as a result of a specific therapeutic procedure which is matched to the patient's mental problems. In contrast, a model is indicated in which psychotherapy is conceived as a process of social influencing.

Keywords Psychotherapy research; Efficacy of psychotherapy schools; Models of psychotherapy's mode of functioning

Author Biography

Klaus-Peter Seidler

Klaus-Peter Seidler, PD Dr. phil., Dipl.-Psych.; Psychologiestudium an der Universität Hamburg. Wissenschaftlicher Angestellter bzw. Assistent an der Universität Bielefeld (1985 bis 1995) und der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover (seit 1995), dort Leiter der Sozialpsychiatrischer Tagesklinik. Psychologischer Psychotherapeut für tiefenpsychologisch fundierte Psychotherapie, Ausbilder in Klientenzentrierter Psychotherapie (GwG), Supervisor (BDP), Therapeut für Konzentrative Bewegungstherapie (DAKBT). Arbeitsschwerpunkte: Grundlagen der Klinischen Psychologie (Klinische Bindungsforschung, Körperbildforschung) sowie Psychotherapie-und Versorgungsforschung (Konzentrative Bewegungstherapie, psychiatrische Tagesklinik).

Korrespondenz: PD Dr. Klaus-Peter Seidler, Abteilung Sozialpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Deutschland

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Published

2006-07-01

How to Cite

Seidler, K.-P. (2006). The dodo-bird’s birth, death, and rebirth: Myths of psychotherapy and psychotherapy research. Psychotherapie-Wissenschaft, (3), 146–152. Retrieved from https://psychotherapie-wissenschaft.info/article/view/319

Issue

No. 3 (2006): Psychotherapie Forum 14/3 (veröffentlicht bei Springer Wien New York)

Section

Original Work

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