Brief psychoanalytic psychotherapy: A review

Abstract

This essay presents a concise review of brief psychoanalytic therapy, of the historical context and of the contemporary forms of brief psychodynamic therapy and resumes some of the most important empirical findings. The essay highlights the essential differences between the drive/structure model of brief psychoanalytic therapy (Malan, Davanloo and Sifneos), the relational model (Luborsky, Strupp and Binder), the integrative model (Mann), and the selfpsychologicalmodel (Ornstein and Ornstein). The results of numerous empirical studies show that this mode of therapy is an effective treatment for a broad spectrum of outpatient problems and that it is not inferior to alternative treatments and to long-term therapy. Nevertheless the breadth of change is greater for long-term therapy and long-term therapy is more effective with more disturbed patients. Essential characteristics of brief psychoanalytic therapy, which also seem to determine its success, are: a quickly established interpersonal relationship, management of temporal limitation by therapists and centering the therapeutic content around a focus.

Keywords:
Brief psychoanalytic therapy, psychodynamic focus, temporal limitation, therapeutic relationship.