Page 20 - JCBP-3-4

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics A review of balancing psychotherapy

2.2. Inclusion criteria 3.1. BPT sessions

Studies were included if they utilized BPT as a therapeutic At present, BPT is primarily implemented in clinical
intervention for patients with various psychological disorders. settings through two modalities: Individual BPT and
GBPT. The sessions are generally divided into eight 1-h
2.3. Exclusion criteria sessions, which are conducted weekly, and facilitated by
29
Studies were excluded if they involved BPT in patients a designated consultant at a fixed time and place. The
without psychological disorders and/or incomplete treatment is based on the thematic progression: Standing,
application of BPT-related treatments. conforming, maintaining, melting, breaking, repairing,
smoothing, and harmonizing. These themes are designed
3. Results to help clients gradually establish a balanced strategy and

A total of nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and regain positive psychological functioning. 29
were eligible for the final analysis. Empirical studies on the Specifically, “standing” focuses on establishing a good
clinical application of BPT are summarized in Table 1. relationship of trust between the consultant and the

Table 1. Empirical studies of BPT in clinical practice
Types of BPT Types of disease Sample sizes Reference Research aims Research results
BPT Control
group group
Individual BPT Adolescent 1 / Zhang et al. 7 To study the effect of The symptoms of depression and anxiety were
depressive individual BPT significantly reduced, and the social functions
disorder were recovered at the follow-up
15 14 Zhang 12 To compare the efficacy The drug combined with the BPT group was
of drug therapy and drug more effective than the drug-alone group
combined with BP
Midlife depressive 30 30 Sun 22 To compare the efficacy of Individual BPT was significantly more effective
disorder individual BPT and mental than mental health education in relieving
health education in the anxiety and depression, helping to coordinate
treatment of middle-aged interpersonal relationships, alleviating loneliness,
patients and improving the level of external goal pursuit
GBPT Panic disorder 14 15 Wang 23 To compare the efficacy of GBPT combined with drugs was more effective
GBPT combined with drugs than drug therapy alone in improving anxiety
and depression, severity of panic disorder, and
panic-related symptoms
GAD 15 14 Liu 24 To compare the efficacy of GBPT was more effective than group mental
GBPT and group mental health lectures in relieving anxiety and
health lecture depression as well as in reducing neuroticism
14 19 Gao 25 To compare the efficacy of GBPT was significantly more effective than
GBPT and GCBT GCBT in relieving anxiety and somatization
symptoms
VR-BPT OCD 15 15 Gu 26 To compare the efficacy of Both treatment modalities could improve
BPT and VR-BPT obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, and
depression. VR-BPT was more effective than
BPT alone. The VR-BPT group also showed
significantly lower OCD scores, demonstrating
an earlier treatment effect
Panic disorder 13 14 Zhu 27 To compare the efficacy Both treatment modalities could alleviate panic
of VR-BPT and BPT severity, anxiety, and depression symptoms.
combined with drugs VR-BPT has a better effect than BPT on panic
severity and anxiety symptoms
Depressive 30 30 Zhang 28 To compare the efficacy of VR-BPT combined with drug therapy was more
disorder VR-BPT combined drug effective than drug therapy alone in improving
therapy and drug therapy alone depression levels.
Abbreviations: BPT: Balancing psychotherapy; GAD: Generalized anxiety disorder; GBPT: Group balancing psychotherapy;
OCD: Obsessive-compulsive disorder; VR-BPT: virtual reality-based balancing psychotherapy.

Volume 3 Issue 4 (2025) 14 doi: 10.36922/jcbp.8288