EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF JUNGIAN PSYCHOTHERAPY: A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/upj/2023-2-6Keywords:
Jungian psychotherapy, empirical research, effectiveness, health care utilization, analytical psychologyAbstract
Since the 1990s several research projects and empirical studies (process and outcome) on Jungian Psychotherapy have been conducted mainly in Germany and Switzerland. Prospective, naturalistic outcome studies and retrospective studies using standardized instruments and health insurance data as well as several qualitative studies of aspects of the psychotherapeutic process will be summarized. The studies are diligently designed and the results are well applicable to the conditions of outpatient practice. All the studies show significant improvements not only on the level of symptoms and interpersonal problems, but also on the level of personality structure and in every day life conduct. These improvements remain stable after completion of therapy over a period of up to six years. Several studies show further improvements after the end of therapy, an effect which psychoanalysis has always claimed. Health insurance data show that, after Jungian therapy, patients reduce health care utilization to a level even below the average of the total population. Results of several studies show that Jungian treatment moves patients from a level of severe symptoms to a level where one can speak of psychological health. These significant changes are reached by Jungian therapy with an average of 90 sessions, which makes Jungian psychotherapy an effective and cost-effective method. Process studies support Jungian theories on psychodynamics and elements of change in the therapeutic process. So finally, Jungian psychotherapy has reached the point where it can be called an empirically proven, effective method. This paper was first published in the journal "Behavioral Sciences" in 2013 (Volume 3, Issue 4). The editorial board of the journal expresses deep gratitude to the author of the paper – Prof. Christian Roesler, as well as to Hanna Stembkovska and Valentyna Samus for its Ukrainian translation.
References
Breyer, F., Heinzel, R. & Klein, T. (1997). Kosten und Nutzen ambulanter Psychoanalyse in Deutschland. (Cost and benefit of outpatient analytical psychotherapy in Germany). Gesundheitsökonomie und Qualitätsmanagement, 2, 59–73.
Heisig, D. (2001). Wandlungsprozesse durch die therapeutische Beziehung. Analytic Psychology, 32, 230–251.
Junghan, M. (2002). Die Anwendung der Strukturachse der OPD in der Analytischen Psychologie. Die Struktur der Persönlichkeit (in German); Rudolf, G., Grande, T., Henningsen, P., Eds.; Schattauer: Stuttgart, Germany, 90–114.
Keller, W., Dilg, R., Westhoff, G., Rohner, R. & Studt, H.H. (1997). The Empirical Psychotherapy Research Group in Analytical Psychology Berlin. On the efficacy of outpatient Jungian psychoanalyses and psychotherapies. Proceedings of the 13th International Congress for Analytical Psychology, Zürich, Switzerland, 17–23 August 1995; Mattoon, M.A., Ed.; Daimon: Einsiedeln, Switzerland.
Keller, W., Dilg, R., Westhoff, G., Rohner, R. & Studt, H.H. (1999). The Empirical Psychotherapy Research Group in Analytical Psychology Berlin. The Berlin Jungian Study: on the effectiveness and efficacy of outpatient (Jungian) psychoanalysis and psychotherapy – a catamnestic study (BJS). An Open Door Review of Outcome Studies in Psychoanalysis; Report prepared by the Research Committee of the IPA at the request of the President 1999; Fonagy, P., Ed.; International Psychoanalytic Association: London, UK.
Keller, W., Stehle, S., Dilg, R., et al. (1999). Empirical Research in Psychoanalysis and Analytic Psychotherapy. Destruction and Creation: Personal and Cultural Transformations; Mattoon, M., Ed.; Daimon: Einsiedeln, Switzerland, 556–586.
Keller, W., Westhoff, G., Dilg, R., Rohner, R., Studt, H.H. (2002). The study group on empirical psychotherapy research in analytical psychology. Efficacy and cost-effectiveness aspects of outpatient (Jungian) psychoanalysis and psychotherapy – a catamnestic study. Longer-Term Psychoanalytic Treatment: Perspectives for Therapists and Researchers; Leuzinger-Bohleber, M., Target, M., Eds.; Whurr: London, UK.
Kleeberg, A., Schreiber, S. & Schwinger, T. (2003). Symbole als Ausdruck der therapeutischen Beziehung. Eine empirische Untersuchung zur Schattensymbolik in einer jungianischen Psychotherapie. Analytic Psychology, 34, 266–297.
Krapp, M. (1997). Pictorial-hermeneutic, qualitative methods. In Open Questions in Analytical Psychology; Mattoon, M.A., Ed.; Daimon: Einsiedeln, Switzerland, 581–586.
Lambert, M.J. (2004). Bergin and Garfield’s Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change, 5th ed.; Wiley: New York, NY, USA.
Mattanza, G., Jakobsen, T. & Hurt, J. (2006). Jung’sche Psychotherapie ist effizient. Seele und Forschung. Ein Brückenschlag in der Psychotherapie (in German); Mattanza, G., Meier, I., Schegel, M., Eds.; Karger: Basel, Switzerland, 38–82.
Muller, M.A. (2001). Psychosomatic Study of Patients with Vitiligo from an Analytical Approach. Ph.D. Dissertation, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Orlinsky, D.E., Grawe, K. & Parks, B.K. (1994). Process and Outcome in Psychotherapy. Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behaviour Change, 4th ed.; Garfield, S.L., Bergin, A.E., Eds.; Wiley: New York, NY, USA, 270–376.
Roesler, C. (2010). Analytische Psychologie heute. Der aktuelle Stand der Forschung zur Psychologie C.G.Jungs (German); Karger: Basel, Switzerland.
Roesler, C. & Götz, N. (2012). Manual zur Strukturalen Traumanalyse (in German). Available online: http://www.cgjung.de/forum/index.php?page=Thread&postID=37#post37 (accessed on 22 September 2013).
Roesler, C. (2013). A Research Frame for Investigating the Appearance of Synchronistic Events in Psychotherapy. The Pauli-Jung Dialogue and Its Impact Today; Atmanspacher, H., Fuchs, C., Eds.; Imprint Academic: Exeter, UK, 2013.
Rubin, S.I. & Powers, N. (2013). Analyzing the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Project. Available online: http://www.sirseth.net/doc/SFresearch.pdf (accessed on 27 July 2013).
Rudolf, G., Dilg, R., Grande, T., et al. (2004). Effektivität und Effizienz psychoanalytischer Langzeittherapie: Die Praxisstudie analytische Langzeittherapie. Psychoanalyse des Glaubens; Gerlach, A., Schlösser, A., Springer, A., Eds.; Psychosozial: Gießen, Germany, 515–528.
Tavares, M.L. (2002). The Patient’s Psyche in Cancer Terminal Phase. Ph.D. Dissertation, Pontifica Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Tschuschke, V., Crameri, A., Koemeda, M., Schulthess, P., von Wyl, A.; & Weber, R. (2010). Fundamental Reflections on Psychotherapy Research and Initial Results of the Naturalistic Psychotherapy Study on Outpatient Treatment in Switzerland (PAP-S). Int. J. Psychoth, 14, 247–256.
Westen, D. & Morrison, K.A. (2001). Мultidimensional meta-analysis of treatments for depression, panic, and generalized anxiety disorder: An empirical examination of the status of empiricially supported therapies. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol, 69, 875–899.
Yoshika, M.L. (2002). A Psychosomatic Study of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) through Sandplay Therapy. Ph.D. Dissertation, Pontifica Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
