In our tabulation of psychoanalytic results, we have classed those who stopped treatment together with those not improved. This appears to be reasonable; a patient who fails to finish his treatment, and is not improved, is surely a therapeutic failure.

The quote by Hans Eysenck discusses the methodology used in evaluating the results of psychoanalytic treatment. Eysenck explains that in their tabulation of outcomes, patients who stopped treatment were grouped together with those who showed no improvement. He argues this classification is reasonable because if a patient fails to complete therapy and does not experience any positive change, it should be considered a therapeutic failure.

This statement reflects Eysenck’s critical and empirical approach to assessing the effectiveness of psychotherapy. By including those who drop out of treatment in the category of failure, he highlights the importance of both treatment adherence and actual therapeutic progress in judging success. The quote suggests that incomplete treatment often correlates with poor outcomes, and thus should not be overlooked in research or clinical evaluations.

The origin of this quote is tied to Eysenck’s influential and sometimes controversial work in psychology and psychotherapy research. He was known for questioning the effectiveness of traditional psychoanalysis and advocating for rigorous scientific evaluation of psychological treatments. This perspective challenged prevailing assumptions and pushed for more evidence-based practices.

In summary, Hans Eysenck’s quote emphasizes the necessity of including all patient outcomes—especially dropouts—in measuring therapy success. It reflects his commitment to objective, data-driven analysis in psychology and the belief that incomplete treatment without improvement must be recognized as failure to ensure honest assessment of psychoanalytic methods.