Women, Therapy and Dependency

Abstract

A microsociological longitudinal study of 120 middle class Melbourne women who were having psychotherapy or counselling was conducted over a five year period. The relative effectiveness of four dominant kinds of psychotherapy was assessed, together with outcomes for types of individuals. The therapies were medical chemotherapy (with psychotherapeutic drugs prescribed by general practitioners), social casework counselling, human relations training and church pastoral counselling. Personal accounts of the women revealed their main concerns were to change their personal identities, and the economic, psychological and emotional aspects of dependency on significant others. After five years, only a small proportion of the total showed positive changes as represented by movement towards independence and autonomy. More than twice as many experienced a serious deterioration of circumstances and increased dependency on others, on therapists and drugs. None of the psychotherapies had much positive outcome. However the clients who felt most helped by the therapies became professional therapists themselves — a finding which suggests the perpetuation of ineffectual systems.