Major Depressive Disorder: A Comparison of a Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy

Objective: This study explored the therapeutic outcomes of psychodynamic psychotherapy for Major depressive disorder (MDD) in comparison with pharmacotherapy. Methods: The focus of psychodynamic psychotherapy was on the superego pathology and its developmental backgrounds, while pharmacotherapy was done using SSRIs. A sample of 50 MDD patients was randomly selected by clinical interview using DSM-IV-TR. The presence and severity of the depressive symptoms were assessed using the MMPI-2 depression content scale as a symptom checklist, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Twenty five patients were selected for the psychoanalytic psychotherapy group and twenty five patients for pharmacotherapy. After 15 weeks, all the participants were assessed using the same instruments. Results: The results indicated a comparable symptom reduction in the two groups. Conclusion: Clinical observations confirmed the psychodynamic inferences about the role of the superego pathology in MDD.