The process and outcome of three patients’ individual psychodynamic psychotherapies with the same therapist were investigated in this case comparison study. Multiple assessments with different instruments, including an independent assessor’s perspective both at termination and at follow-up were examined, to identify factors with an impact on good versus poor outcome. This case study illustrated that, assessing the outcome more than one, and with several measures, gave a more complete picture than one single measure at termination. Although this procedure represented the outcome in a better way, it also reflected the complexity of assessing psychotherapy results. Among the central factors for the outcome are: initial severity, quality of object relations, and vulnerability. Treatment implications of the findings are discussed (e.g., the importance of adjustment of therapy techniques, assessments and realistic expectations). Due to the complexity of the results, it is a challenge to understand fully and explain differences between patients and their individual ways of changing over the course of psychodynamic psychotherapy.
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