Private psychotherapy patients of psychiatrist psychoanalysts

The characteristics of private psychotherapy patients of medical psychoanalysts are described.

A structured interview was administered to 51 medical psychoanalysts. Patients' demographic characteristics, historical features, and other clinically relevant aspects of behavior were assessed.

Of 575 patients, 88% had at least one axis I disorder and 46% had at least one axis I and one axis II disorder. Treatment duration varied from less than 6 months to more than 6 years. Forty-three percent of the patients were also treated with psychotropic drugs.

The patients in this cohort met the criteria for DSM-IV psychiatric disorders, had lifetime histories of major psychiatric disturbances, and were not the "worried well."