ABSTRACT
Until about 1950 the claims of psychoanalysts to be able to treat neurotic patients successfully, and indeed to be the only ones who could effect permanent cures, were widely accepted by psychiatrists and psychologists. There were critical voices concerning the general psychoanalytic theory, but even these were somewhat muted, and it could be said that psychoanalysis was in the mainstream of psychological thinking where personality, neurosis, and social psychology generally were concerned. This chapter looks at the very important question of what happens to neurotics who do not receive any kind of psychiatric treatment. Logically, one needs strong evidence to prove the value of a given treatment; if the only available evidence is subject to severe criticism, then clearly it cannot prove the value of the treatment. One would also imagine that the duration of psychotherapy would play some part in its effectiveness, and that very short treatment would be less successful than very lengthy treatment.
