The articles in this special section have pointed to the need for reexamination of theory and technique, if psychoanalytic treatment is to remain relevant for diverse patient groups. Some clinical assumptions, including both theories of psychosexual development and theories of object relations, and some assumptions as to mutative factors and therapeutic goals, are culture bound in unacknowledged ways. A modern psychological theory of psychic organization and psychic change is needed to account for common factors in the psychoanalytic approach that apply across cultures to enable specific applications for particular patient groups and to serve as a framework for research. The issues of diversity raise a challenge for psychoanalysis but also offer an opportunity to revitalize the field.