Psychoanalysis: Waning or Waxing?

Abstract

To the Editor. —In the December 14, 1994, issue ofThe JOURNAL, Drs Clemens and Mosher 1 argued that psychoanalysis is not on the wane and provided some statistical data regarding membership in various organizations to support this opinion. First, they argued that the membership of the American Psychoanalytic Association has increased in the past two decades. Secondly, they reported that the membership of Division 39 of the American Psychological Association (the section of the American Psychological Association concerned with psychoanalysis) has increased in the past decades. Finally, they provided information regarding the increase of membership in such organizations outside the United States. Although these numbers are correct, they are somewhat misleading because the authors used raw numbers rather than proportions to examine their hypothesis. While the number of members in the American Psychiatric Association has increased almost twofold from 20 000 to 29 000 to 38 000 during the