Informed consent is required by law in medical treatment including dynamic psychotherapy, and has ethical implications. However, it is not clear whether informed consent as legally required is practiced, and what are therapists’ attitudes towards it.

This research examines common practice and therapists attitudes concerning application of informed consent to dynamic psychotherapy.

1. Examine therapists’ practice regarding application of different components, timing and methods of informed consent to dynamic psychotherapy.

2. Examine therapists’ attitudes towards this issue.

An anonymous online cross-sectional survey, completed by 177 psychodynamic oriented psychotherapists of diverse professions, experience, and other demographics.

Different Professional groups displayed statistically significant difference regarding application of informed consent to dynamic psychotherapy. Most specialist psychiatrists discuss most components of informed consent at the first session (therapy goals (59.1%), approach (72.7%), and alternatives (95.5%)) comparing to other therapists who provide this information later in therapy or not at all. Residents often don’t provide information concerning therapy approach (46.5%), and success chances (66.2%). Specialists had stronger positive opinion concerning the importance of informed consent.

Most therapists believe that applying informed consent to dynamic psychotherapy is important. However, opinions and practices differed regarding the components of informed consent, depending on professional background and experience. For example, specialist psychiatrists tended to implement more components at early stages of therapy than other professionals, maybe due to their medical and legal training. Residents provided less information concerning therapy alternatives and odds of success, maybe due to lack of experience, knowledge or confidence.