A mapping review of psychodynamic treatment manuals: 2000 to 2025

The treatment manual is now widely recognised as an essential tool for therapist preparation and clinical research. Although manualization has long been viewed with scepticism by some psychoanalysts and psychodynamic therapists, many in recent decades have embraced it as an opportunity to clarify, refine, and deepen their understanding of treatment principles and techniques. The aim of this review is to map the landscape of book-based psychodynamic treatment manuals published over the past 25 years. A broad search of 10 databases and publisher catalogues returned a total of 3,932 records. After additional handsearching and final screening, 71 manuals were deemed eligible and selected for review. All included manuals were categorised and collated according to (i) target population, (ii) treatment length, (iii) treatment format, and (iv) treatment foci. A subset of the included manuals (published 2015–2025) were reviewed in more detail, and trends in the entire sample were discussed. In general, results suggest that the scope of manualized psychodynamic therapy has expanded dramatically in the last quarter century. This has included novel approaches to child, adolescent, and adult psychotherapy for common and complex mental disorders; behavioural, developmental, interpersonal, and substance use problems; marital, family, and parenting challenges; and psychological distress associated with physical illness. Strengths and limitations of the review are highlighted, then recommendations are made for future developments in manualized psychodynamic therapy and future efforts to disseminate these manuals. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this review is the first of its kind. It will expose clinicians to a wide variety of treatment manuals and help them rapidly identify suitable options for their area of clinical practice. It may also be used as groundwork for future systematic reviews of this literature.