Brief psychotherapy in family practice. A controlled prospective intervention trial

Abstract

In a prospective (controlled) trial, the result in 18 patients receiving eight, weekly half-hour sessions of brief problem-oriented dynamic psychotherapy was compared with the result in an equal number receiving eight, weekly half-hour sessions of family practitioner therapy and in another 20 receiving no additional therapy. The subjects were drawn from patients at ten suburban family practices in Sydney. They had had psychological complaints for at least six months. No differences between the three treatment groups were found in the final outcome, either in a symptom severity and social dysfunction factor or in a physical disability and medication factor.