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I am writing in response to the December article by Catherine Hickey about Davanloo's methods of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and new closed circuit training model (“Davanloo's Technique of Total Removal of Resistance and Optimum Mobilization of the Transference Component of the Resistance,” Psychodynamic Psychiatry, Volume 43, Issue 4, pp. 601-621).
Hickey nicely summarized central elements of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. However, the author suggests that Davanloo's research is the only noteworthy contribution to the research on this method. This is not true. In fact, there are meta-analyses of more than 30 clinical outcome and process studies of ISTDP in several countries over 20 years showing large benefits, including for complex and refractory patient populations (Abbass, Town, & Driessen, 2012; Town & Driessen, 2013).
The author suggests that studies need be done to determine the “degree of permanent change” in patients' pathology. Numerous studies have evaluated and verified long-term maintenance of gains. These studies include those of patients with personality disorders, chronic somatic disturbances, and depression among other conditions published widely for many years. She stated, “Clinical impressions have not yet been supported by large-scale clinical trials.” This is incorrect. Studies of ISTDP including 89 patients (Abbass, 2002b), 166 patients (Abbass, 2002a), and most recently 890 patients (Joahnsson, Town, & Abbass, 2014) have examined long-term healthcare cost and utilization data showing maintained gains.
The author further states there is no outcome research to examine the memory activating effects of the somatic experiencing of complex feelings. This also is not true. Several studies have examined the relationships between unlocking the unconscious, and outcome (Abbass, 2002a, 2002b; Johansson et al., 2014; Town et al., 2013). Each has found significant relationships between this therapeutic event and treatment o