What is it about?
Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) is a form of short-term psychotherapy, developed by Habib Davanloo and drawing upon psychodynamic principles. The model involves an active process, and proposes specific mechanisms of change to account for its effectiveness. However, the evidence in support of the specific mechanisms is limited. The current study reviewed all papers to date, which were identified as providing evidence of the purported mechanism of change underpinning the approach. One of the core mechanisms is the unlocking of the unconscious. Significant limitations were identified in the studies reviewed. A number of suggestions are made to improve the rigour of future studies to gain a better understanding of the approach advocated by intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy.