` :: Honestly describing the research on the effectiveness of therapies based on psychoanalysis has to take into account at least the following things: 1) AFAIK it has been demonstrated that most people recover spontaneously after sufficient time 2) much evidence supports the view that therapy is effective regardless of what theory it is based on. So psychoanalysis could be completely untrue as a scientific theory and still psychoanalytical therapy might work. The fact that ``it works`` might be really uninteresting if it does not work much or if the same benefits are achievable via some other means (especially if it is cheaper). Many studies do not control for these factors, for example the Helsinki-trial claims that therapies based on psychoanalysis are as good as any other forms of therapy. However, there is no comparison group (that is to people that did not receive any therapy), many of the patients used in the study participated in many forms of therapy (which the authors claim was impossible to control for), the drop-out rates are high, power weak, and the effect sizes minimal. For people pondering on whether or not to take therapy and of what school this kind of info could be useful.   `