How long does psychotherapy last?
Kächele, H.
Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie 40(5): 148-151
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0937-2032 PMID: 2356268 Document Number: 349302
In West Germany, the sickness insurance companies pay for a psychotherapy treatment course for a certain length of time may or may not be sufficient for achieving a successful treatment result. We made a statistical analysis of a large sample of patients (n = 1,689) treated in the outpatient department of a psychotherapeutic hospital of the University of Ulm. It was found that the longer the treatment period covered by the study, the lower the proportion of successfully completed courses. These results are discussed with reference to the long-term treatment ("dose")/effect relationship.