University of Twente Student Theses
How Well Is Psychodynamic Therapy Adapted to the Digital Format? A Scoping review
Lang, Julius (2025) How Well Is Psychodynamic Therapy Adapted to the Digital Format? A Scoping review.
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| Abstract: | Online Psychodynamic Therapy (OPDT) has emerged as a promising approach to delivering psychodynamic treatment in digital formats, addressing the growing demand for accessible mental health care. This scoping review systematically examines the presence of key psychodynamic components—such as emotional engagement, relational understanding, and interpretive work—in OPDT and evaluates its effectiveness in treating psychological disorders like depression and anxiety. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus identified ten empirical studies published between 2000 and 2023. Findings indicate that OPDT effectively integrates core psychodynamic techniques, including transference, interpretation, affect exploration, and pattern recognition. Despite the digital setting, mechanisms such as the development of a therapeutic alliance and the working-through of unconscious material remain intact. Structured interventions supporting reflective engagement and narrative coherence appear central to maintaining psychodynamic depth in OPDT. While OPDT successfully preserves key therapeutic elements, the extent of their implementation varies across studies. Certain techniques, such as clarification and confrontation, are less consistently incorporated. Future research should focus on refining digital adaptations of psychodynamic interventions, standardizing methodologies, and assessing long-term clinical outcomes. Overall, OPDT represents a viable and evolving approach to integrating psychodynamic principles into digital mental health care. Keywords: Online Psychodynamic Therapy, OPDT, transference, interpretive work, affect regulation, therapeutic techniques, scoping review |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/105393 |
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