Who gets psychodynamic therapy?

Little is known about the kind of people who are referred for psychodynamic psychotherapy. A study by researchers in London and Coventry collected data from fourteen psychotherapy services about 1,136 service users. It found that most of them were in the moderate-to-severe range of psychiatric severity. 95% of them met the criteria for a psychiatric disorder (mostly anxiety and mood disorders) and/or a personality disorder. 82% of the service users were found to be suitable for treatment although there were relatively-high rates of treatment rejection by service users and treatment drop-out.

Chiesa, Marco ... [et al] - Psychiatric morbidity and treatment pathway outcomes of patients presenting to specialist NHS psychodynamic psychotherapy services: results from a multi-centre study Psychology and psychotherapy: theory, research and practice March 2009, 82(1), 83-98