Psychodynamic psychotherapy and the treatment of depression

The psychodynamic explanation of depression is that it has its origin in infancy and childhood experience. This contribution gives an account of the main themes of the foremost psychoanalytical psychodynamic accounts of the nature and origin of depression. This is followed by a review of supporting evidence for this clinically derived model. An account is given of empirical and observational studies which support it, together with a brief overview of direct outcome research into the efficacy of psychotherapy treatment.