The Interface Between the Psychodynamic and Behavioral Therapies: (Critical Issues in Psychiatry)

It is sobering to reflect that it has been nearly fifty years since Thomas French's article on the "Interrelations between Psychoanalysis and the Experimental Work of Pavlov," representing the first psychoanalyst to bridge the gap between the theories of conditioning, was published. In hjs paper French clearly delineated the manner and directions in which these two points of view might enrich each other. Regrettably, his open- ness to new ideas has not been characteristic of most "schools" of psychiatry thought, which have tended instead to develop an unfortu- nate degree of insularity. This has occurred despite the obvious reality that the bio-social-psychological nature of man is such that no one theory or discipline is likely, in the foreseeable future, to explain, much less predict, all of the complexities of human behavior. All too often disputing theoreticians, like the fabled blind men describing the elephant, assume that the whole is just a gigantic magnification of the parts with which they are in contact. When treatment strategies are extrapolated from such narrow views, more often than not they fail to achieve the parsimony of effort, the breadth of application, and the maximum of efficiency that one would hope for. In our opinion, it is impossible adequately to conceptualize person- ality development, symptom formation, or responses to psychotherapy, without taking into consideration theories of conflict as well as those of learning.

Table of Contents:
I. Theoretical.- 1. The Dynamics of Psychotherapy in the Light of Learning Theory.- 2. Dynamic Psychotherapy and Behavior Therapy—Are They Irreconcilable?.- 3. Psychoanalytic Therapy and Theories of Learning.- 4. Critique and Reformulation of “Learning-Theory” Approaches to Psychotherapy and Neurosis.- 5. A Dynamic Synthesis of Analytic and Behavioral Approaches to Symptoms.- 6. Operant Conditioning and Psychoanalysis—Contrasts, Similarities, and Some Thoughts about Integration.- 7. Behavior Therapy and Psychotherapy.- 8. Learning Theory and Psychoanalysis.- II. Clinical.- A. Reciprocal Contributions of Psychodynamic and Behavioral Therapies.- 9. Psychoanalysis and Behavior Therapy.- 10. Common Ground between Behavior Therapy and Psychodynamic Methods.- 11. Transference and Resistance Observed in Behavior Therapy.- 12. The Converging Paths of Behavior Therapy and Psychotherapy.- 13. Neurosis and the Psychotherapeutic Process—Similarities and Differences in the Behavioral and Psychodynamic Conceptions.- 14. Behavior Therapy—Observations and Reflections.- B. Parallel and Alternating Psychodynamic and Behavioral Therapies.- 15. Psychotherapy by a Combined Behavioral and Dynamic Approach.- 16. The Use of Psychotherapy and Behavior Therapy in the Treatment of an Obsessional Disorder—An Experimental Case Study.- 17. Concurrent Psychotherapy and Behavior Therapy—Treatment of Psychoneurotic Outpatients.- 18. Concurrent Sex Therapy and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy by Separate Therapists—Effectiveness and Implications.- C. An Integrated Approach.- 19. Behavior Therapy—Integration with Dynamic Psychiatry.- 20. Psychodynamic Behavior Therapy—I. Theory and Rationale.- 21. Psychodynamic Behavior Therapy—II. Clinical Aspects.- 22. The Use of Assertive Trainingand Psychodynamic Insight in the Treatment of Migraine Headache—A Case Study.- D. Other Applications.- 23. Intensive Group Therapy—An Effective Behavioral-Psychoanalytic Method.- 24. A Study of Treatment Needs Following Sex Therapy.- 25. The New Sex Therapy—Basic Principles of Sex Therapy.