The effectiveness of psychodynamic approaches has been studied and documented for several disorders, though not as extensively as with behavioral therapy. This asymmetry also has methodological reasons: Complex changes are more difficult to measure than symptom scores. Similar methodological objections also characterize the criticism of the approach.
The effectiveness is best documented in cases of depressive disorders. There is also evidence of positive outcomes in cases of somatoform disorders and personality disorders.
For anxiety disorders, the 2021 version of the S3 guideline recommends cognitive behavioral therapy as the first-line treatment. Psychodynamic psychotherapy should be offered if behavioral therapy has not been effective, is not available, or if the informed patient prefers it.
Many studies on TP are naturalistic, that is, they do not include a control group. They show that the treatments are effective under everyday conditions, but do not allow for strict conclusions about cause and effect.
