METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES IN PSYCHOANALYT ICALLY ORIENTED THERAPY-RESEARCH

Psychoanalytical hypotheses, like other scientific hypotheses, have to be testable within a methodological framework, which is in accordance with general scientific principles. In the following paper these prin ciples are presented and related to the unconscious conflict as the co re of psychoanalytical work. In psychoanalytically oriented therapy-re search hitherto the problem of generalizability of findings has been s olved by combining qualitative-descriptive with quantative-statistical methodologies. In contrast to this way of proceeding the authors of t his paper present a unified methodological concept: single cases are s ystematically compared with each other, so that evolving typical patte rns of effects can be described. The procedure of a study following th is concept of research is exemplified.