Distinctive features of short-term psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy: A review of the comparative psychotherapy process literature

The present article is a review of the comparative psychotherapy process li terature. It is an effort to delineate techniques and processes that distin guish two prominent forms of treatment. Seven interventions stood out as di stinguishing psychodynamic-interpersonal therapy from cognitive-behavioral treatment: (1) a focus on affect and the expression of patients' emotions; (2) an exploration of patients' attempts to avoid topics or engage in activ ities that hinder the progress of therapy; (3) the identification of patter ns in patients' actions, thoughts, feelings, experiences, and relationships ; (4) an emphasis on past experiences; (5) a focus on a patients' interpers onal experiences; (6) an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship; and (7) an exploration of patients' wishes, dreams, or fantasies. A better understa nding of the specific techniques and processes that distinguish psychodynam ic-interpersonal from cognitive-behavioral therapy can facilitate process-o utcome research, aid in the training and teaching of psychodynamic-interper sonal psychotherapy, and provide psychodynamic-interpersonal therapists wit h a guide for session activity.