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Psychodynamic therapy can be adapted to and implemented in non-western cultures – a comment on the WHO treatment guideline for mental disorders

Leichsenring, Falk; Abbass, Allan; Fonagy, Peter; Levy, Kenneth; Lilliengren, Peter; Luyten, Patrick; Midgley, Nick; (2025) Psychodynamic therapy can be adapted to and implemented in non-western cultures – a comment on the WHO treatment guideline for mental disorders. Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie (In press).

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Abstract

The WHO recently issued updated the guidelines for treating mental health conditions in low- and middle-income countries, emphasizing evidence-based manual-guided psychotherapeutic treatments. As a limitation, these recommendations predominantly endorse cognitive-behavior therapy for both adults and young people. In a comment, we emphasized that the WHO overlooked the significant evidence supporting other therapeutic approaches, including but not limited to psychodynamic therapy. The WHO responded to our comment in a reply by Carswell and colleagues. However, several statements made by the authors are debatable. In this short communication, we critically address these statements, showing that they are not tenable. As a conclusion we emphasize that is necessary to embrace a broader array of empirical supported therapeutic methods to elevate the overall quality and efficacy of global mental health care. High-quality psychotherapy research in low- and middle-income countries is required, focusing not only on the narrow area of symptoms, but transdiagnostically on general psychopathology and psychosocial functioning, which are areas addressed in psychodynamic therapy.

Type: Article
Title: Psychodynamic therapy can be adapted to and implemented in non-western cultures – a comment on the WHO treatment guideline for mental disorders
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: WHO, guidelines for mental disorders, low and middle income countries
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10203238
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