[Distinct psychotherapeutic approaches, eclecticism, or integration? On the relevance of therapeutic approaches in everyday practice - results of a nationwide survey of psychotherapists].

Abstract

The psychotherapy guidelines of the Federal Joint Committee (GBA) are oriented towards the model of distinct psychotherapeutic approaches. The consequences of these guidelines for therapeutic practice and training have been controversially discussed for some time. The present study investigated the attitude of licensed psychotherapists in Germany towards distinct psychotherapeutic approaches.Data were collected using an online survey of n=507 licensed psychotherapists. The participants were asked about their therapeutic orientation, the use of techniques compliant or non-compliant with their own approach, and their opinion on therapeutic approaches in practice and clinical training.The majority of therapists described their orientation as integrative, with assimilative integration being the most common. Techniques that are non-compliant with the therapist's own approach were considered relevant for everyday practice. The majority of respondents were able to identify well with their own approach and described that having distinct therapeutic approaches was helpful for everyday practice. The majority of behavioral therapists were in favor of transtheoretical clinical training, whereas the majority of psychoanalytic therapists rejected it.According to GBA, a combination of different psychotherapeutic approaches is prohibited, but this contradicts the current practice. Although the model of distinct therapeutic approaches offers an important frame of reference for practitioners, it can also be perceived as restrictive if it is interpreted too rigidly.The perspective of practitioners should be given greater weight in the scientific discourse on psychotherapeutic approaches.