Abbass, A., Luyten, P., & Leichsenring, F. (2024). Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is the First-Line Option for Depression and Treatment Resistant Depression According to Available Evidence. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie, 07067437241299487: " Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and specifically Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy should be considered as a first-line treatment option for depression in general and in particular for depression with comorbid personality disorders, anxiety disorders."

Caselli, I., Ielmini, M., Bellini, A., Zizolfi, D., & Callegari, C. (2023). Efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) in depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 325, 169-176.: "Conclusions: The results confirm the efficacy of STPP in depressive disorders endorsing the guidelines of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence."

Çitak, S., Avci, S. H., & Kahraman, B. B. (2021). The effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in depression and anxiety disorders. Psychodynamic Practice, 27(4), 372-383.: "Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy is a treatment modality for depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and personality disorders. A significant improvement was observed in 94% of our patients who could not achieve adequate improvement with previous treatment interventions. During the psychotherapy process, none of the patients attempted suicide and there was a significant decrease in self-destructive behaviours."

Di Salvo, G., Bianco, M., Teobaldi, E., Maina, G., & Rosso, G. (2022). A Psychoanalytic-Derived Brief Psychotherapeutic Approach in the Treatment of Major Depression: Monotherapy Studies. Medicina, 58(10), 1335.: "Our research underlined that STPP in monotherapy is particularly effective in moderately severe depression and in preventing depressive relapses."

Driessen, E., Fokkema, M., Dekker, J. J., Peen, J., Van, H. L., Maina, G., ... & Cuijpers, P. (2023). Which patients benefit from adding short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy to antidepressants in the treatment of depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. Psychological medicine, 53(13), 6090-6101.: "Adding short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) to antidepressants increases treatment efficacy".

Guénolé, F. (2025) Evaluative Research on Psychodynamic Therapy: Foundations and Recent Advances. Journal of Psychiatric Practice 31(1):p 27-34.: "Despite a growing body of literature demonstrating the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy, there remains widespread bias against psychodynamic theory and the evidence base for psychodynamic treatment of various kinds. This bias contributes to a lack of diversity in the field of psychology that threatens psychological research through an unhealthy intellectual monoculture. Downstream, the bias also limits patients’ access to diverse treatment options available in the public sector. Government funding and insurance reimbursements favor short-term behavioral interventions and psychopharmacology, and those on public insurance often cannot afford the diverse treatment options available in private practice".

Heshmati, R., Wienicke, F. J., & Driessen, E. (2023). The effects of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on depressive symptoms, negative affect, and emotional repression in single treatment-resistant depression: A randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy, 60(4), 497.: "The results support the evidence base of Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy by showing that it can decrease depressive symptoms, emotional repression, and negative affect in treatment-resistant depression"

Hirschfeld, R., Steen, S., Dunn, E. L., Hanif, A., & Clarke, L. (2024). The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in an NHS psychotherapy service: outcomes for service-users with complex presentations. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 1-21.: "This study provides evidence of support for the place of Psychodynamic therapies within NHS mental health care, catering to those with complex and enduring mental health problems."

Kim, Y. K. (2024). Recent Advances and Challenges in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. Springer.: "Psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) offers opportunities for novel, effective approaches to depression. Psychodynamic approaches have a value in work with the treatment-resistant patient both in providing a person-centered, biopsychosocial perspective that avoids reductionism and includes awareness of the complex effects of the treatment relationship..." 

Koeser, L., Rost, F., Gabrio, A., Booker, T., Taylor, D., Fonagy, P., Goldberg, D., Knapp, M., & McCrone, P. (2023). Cost-effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression: RCT evidence from the Tavistock Adult Depression Study (TADS). Journal of Affective Disorders, 335, 313-321.: "Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) accounts for a large fraction of the burden of depression. The Tavistock Adult Depression Study found evidence for the effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy plus treatment as usual (TAU), versus TAU alone, for TRD. Even after a 2-year follow-up, moderate effect sizes were sustained".

Leichsenring, F., Abbass, A., Heim, N., Keefe, J. R., Kisely, S., Luyten, P., ... & Steinert, C. (2023). The status of psychodynamic psychotherapy as an empirically supported treatment for common mental disorders–an umbrella review based on updated criteria. World Psychiatry, 22(2), 286-304. : "Effective psychiatric practice requires a working understanding of psychodynamic principles. Effective management planning is underpinned by psychodynamic formulation".

Levy, K. N., & Spina, D. S. (2025). Transference-focused psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression and comorbid personality disorders. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 42(1), 9.: "In this article, we illustrate the value of transference-focused psychotherapy, an evidence-based approach for treatment of personality disorders, in addressing treatment-resistant depression when there is a comorbid personality disorder.

Markowitz, J. C., Wright, J. H., Peeters, F., Thase, M. E., Kocsis, J. H., & Sudak, D. M. (2022). The neglected role of psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 179(2), 90-93.: "Combining or sequencing antidepressant psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy increases treatment acceptability, enhances medication adherence, and exploits treatment synergies. For advanced level treatment-resistant depression (TRD), psychotherapy can enhance transcranial magnetic stimulation response and reduce post-ECT relapse risk. Recent TRD protocols build supportive psychotherapy [this is based on psychodynamic principles] into most psilocybin trials. Experts recommend combined treatment for TRD".

Melsom, L., Ulvenes, P. G., Solbakken, O. A., Curran, P. J., & Wampold, B. E. (2022). Emotional clarity and tolerance of emotional distress as mechanisms of change in short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for chronic depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 90(4), 289.: "The results indicate that emotional clarity and tolerance of emotional distress may be mechanisms of change in short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for chronic depression. The results are consistent with previous findings of the importance of emotional clarity and tolerance of emotional distress in psychotherapy".

Muscat, S. A., Hartelius, G., Crouch, C. R., & Morin, K. W. (2022). Optimized clinical strategies for treatment-resistant depression: integrating ketamine protocols with trauma-and attachment-informed psychotherapy. Psych, 4(1), 119-141.: "A prior history of developmental trauma and attachment injuries are known primary factors in the etiology of treatment resistance in depression and other mental disorders. Thus, the adjunct of targeted psychotherapy attuned to trauma and attachment injuries may enhance and prolong ketamine efficacy and provide an opportunity for lasting therapeutic change. Psychotherapy engagement during repeated ketamine sessions for patient safety and integration of altered states, paired with separate individualized psychotherapy-only sessions timed 24–48 h post ketamine induction, takes advantage of peak ketamine-induced dendritic spine growth in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, and normalized network connectivity across brain structures."

Parks, K., Wojcik, K. D., & Blassingame III, J. C. (2024). Psychotherapy and Treatment-Resistant Depression. Psychiatric Annals, 54(6), e182-e185.: "There is compelling evidence that suggests Interpersonal Therapy is an effective treatment for depression, whether used alone or in conjunction with medication. This therapy operates on the idea that addressing these interpersonal issues can alleviate depressive symptoms."

Rogan, T., & Wilkinson, S. T. (2023). The role of psychotherapy in the management of treatment-resistant depression. Psychiatric Clinics, 46(2), 349-358.: "Meta-analyses of randomized trials show that psychotherapy has a positive therapeutic benefit in Treatment Resistant Depression."

Sufrate‐Sorzano, T., Santolalla‐Arnedo, I., Garrote‐Cámara, M. E., Angulo‐Nalda, B., Cotelo‐Sáenz, R., Pastells‐Peiró, R., ... & Molina‐Luque, F. (2023). Interventions of choice for the prevention and treatment of suicidal behaviours: An umbrella review. Nursing open, 10(8), 4959-4970.: "Among the interventions that stand out the most are the promotion of providing coping tools, work based on thought and behaviour, and behavioural, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies for the management of emotions."

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (2019). Faculty of Psychotherapy (Victoria). Submission to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.  "The perception that psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approaches lack empirical support does not accord with available scientific evidence. Psychodynamic psychotherapy benefits individuals who present with depression, eating disorders, panic, somatoform disorders, substance-related (alcohol and other drug) disorders, personality disorders (including Borderline and Narcissistic) and some forms of anxiety (Fonagy, 2015; Shedler, 2010; Leichsenring, 2005; Milrod et al., 2007). Psychodynamic psychotherapies have demonstrable efficacy for a variety of high and low prevalence disorders as well as benefiting symptoms such as suicidality."

Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., & Bernier, D. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: the Halifax Depression Study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 214, 15-25.: "Time-limited Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy appears an effective treatment option for treatment resistant depression, showing large advantages over routine treatment delivered by secondary care services."

Town, J. M., Abbass, A., & Campbell, S. (2024). Halifax somatic symptom disorder trial: A pilot randomized controlled trial of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in the emergency department. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 187, 111889.: "Change over time on somatic symptoms was significantly greater in the Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) group... Observed differences in symptoms of depression and illness anxiety were also large, favoring ISTDP, and effects were maintained at follow-up. Patients receiving ISTDP had reduced Emergency Department service utilization at 2-year follow-up."

Willemsen, J., Rost, F., Hustinx, M., Fonagy, P., & Taylor, D. (2024). Examination of a case of “treatment failure” in long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 105(4), 475-495.: "Randomized controlled trials have reported psychoanalytic psychotherapy to improve longer-term post-treatment outcomes in patients with treatment-resistant depression"

Yin, Y., Yu, G., Liu, W., Yu, L., Shi, F., & Zhang, S. (2026). Dynamic interpersonal therapy combined with antidepressant medication for college students with depression and insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. Acta Psychologica, 262, 106164. "DIT combined with antidepressant medication demonstrated superior efficacy compared to medication alone in alleviating insomnia, depressive symptoms, and anxiety, as well as in improving sleep quality among college students with depressive disorders."