Exploring Healthcare Barriers and Content of Short‐Term Psychodynamic Therapies Engaging With Adult Transdiagnostic Persistent Physical Symptoms ( PPS ): What Can Be Learnt to Enhance Physical and Psychological Healthcare Interventions for PPS ? A Sy

ABSTRACT Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) lasting more than 6 months represent a significant healthcare burden in the United Kingdom. PPS may not be disabling in terms of daily living but can deeply affect the wellbeing of an individual subject to ineffective healthcare provision. The barriers to implementing therapeutic interventions in healthcare require further enquiry. This paper supports the scope of what works to broaden beyond cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT) to discover a wider range of therapeutic interventions. Less well‐understood brief psychodynamic therapies (BPTs) require further exploration of their content, specifically for PPS conditions. Objectives This scoping review aims to clarify the current definition and barriers to the delivery of effective PPS care, and to map common themes of PPS‐effective BPTs for future research and practice. Method A preliminary scoping (1999–2024) is undertaken to identify barriers to care inclusive of PPS definitions and the content of UK Professional guidelines. Next, quality‐checked mixed‐method studies of adult BPT interventions for PPS undergo pre‐designed data charting (2001–2024). The BPT augmentations are mapped and thematically collated. Results Barriers include an inconsistent definition of transdiagnostic PPS, the lack of effective care pathways and inadequate UK professional, CPD and clinical guidelines. BPTs with clinically relevant PPS reductions revealed strong and moderate quality evidence of longer term outcomes. A thematic analysis of the PPS‐focused BPT content was achieved. Conclusions Several opportunities to reduce barriers to effective PPS care are readily identified. The indicative observations of effective outcomes and thematic mapping of the content of BPT indicate promise for enhancing PPS intervention development across disciplines. Further research into practice is required.