Evaluating Online Sources in Psychology

Questions and Answers

What does .gov in a website's domain name indicate?

It is a personal website

It is a commercial website

It is a non-profit organization

It is a website owned by the federal government (correct)

What does https:// in a website's URL ensure?

The website is secure and information is transmitted securely (correct)

The website is owned by the government

The website is a non-profit organization

The website is a commercial website

What does inclusion in an NLM database imply?

Rejection of the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health

Endorsement of the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health

It is not a scientific literature

No implication of endorsement or agreement by NLM or the National Institutes of Health (correct)

What is a trend in the field of professional psychotherapy?

A greater interest in empirical evaluation and a increased openness to diverse theoretical perspectives Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of macro-theories of personality and therapeutic change?

They have not held up to scrutiny by empirical research, nor have they been translatable into operations that will bear scrutiny Signup and view all the answers

What is a promising approach in the field of professional psychotherapy?

Renewed versions of hermeneutic, social constructionist, and qualitative approaches Signup and view all the answers

What is a trend in the development of clinical theories?

A trend towards mini-theories centered on specific problem domains and empirical evaluations Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of behaviorists in the field of professional psychotherapy?

They have accepted the importance of cognition and are now including affect and altered versions of the idea of unconscious processes in their treatment Signup and view all the answers

What is the recent trend in psychodynamic therapy in North America?

It has become more short-term and focused. Signup and view all the answers

What is the key to efficacy in the psychodynamic approach according to research evidence?

The therapeutic relationship Signup and view all the answers

What is the average percentage of patients who achieve successful outcomes with systematic psychotherapy?

63 out of 100 Signup and view all the answers

How many sessions are typically needed to show good symptom change in patients with mild and moderate severity?

26 weekly sessions Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge in conceptualizing theoretically the overall equal outcomes of various techniques?

The unclear description of common factors Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor responsible for the outcome variance in patients with severe neurotic symptoms?

Specific technique differences Signup and view all the answers

What type of patients tend to do better with an exploratory dynamic technique?

More motivated and interpersonally better adjusted patients Signup and view all the answers

What type of patients tend to do better with a brief, focused dynamic treatment?

Patients with a life history of high-quality interpersonal relationships Signup and view all the answers

How much more often do suitable patients achieve successful outcomes compared to less suitable patients?

Three times as often Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor that interacts with variation in therapeutic techniques in producing differential outcomes?

Patient characteristics Signup and view all the answers

What proportion of outpatient cases were considered cured at the end of psychotherapy?

About one-fourth to one-third Signup and view all the answers

What is the trend observed in the differences between treated and control patients at follow-up periods?

The differences remain virtually the same Signup and view all the answers

Which type of therapy has a small relapse-prevention effect for depression?

Cognitive therapy Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a suitable patient for psychotherapy?

A good ability to establish stable mutual relationships and verbalize and cooperate Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of adding supportive or educational psychotherapeutic interventions to long-term neuroleptic treatment for schizophrenic patients?

It significantly reduces the relapse rate Signup and view all the answers

What is the finding of a recent mega-analysis on combined therapy for severe depressions?

It is superior to psychotherapy alone Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor in determining the skillfulness of a therapist?

The therapist's ability to adjust their interventions according to the patient's maturity and responses Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the therapeutic alliance and the outcome of psychotherapy?

A strong correlation between the therapeutic alliance and outcome Signup and view all the answers

Which type of therapy has more lasting benefits for obsessive-compulsive patients than medication alone?

Exposure therapy Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of benzodiazepines on long-term effects of exposure therapy for agoraphobia?

It inhibits the effects Signup and view all the answers

What is a major problem in process and outcome research in psychotherapy?

The lack of precise measurement of clinical phenomena Signup and view all the answers

What is recommended for individual growth curve modeling in psychotherapy research?

Many repeated assessments of each patient's status over time Signup and view all the answers

What is the current state of published psychotherapy treatment manuals?

There are no manuals that facilitate the effects of medication Signup and view all the answers

What is the current empirical evidence on whether nonresponders to medication do better with psychotherapy or with a combination of the two treatments?

There is no systematic empirical evidence Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using clinical significance as opposed to statistical significance in psychotherapy research?

It provides a more meaningful measure of outcome Signup and view all the answers

What is the general trend observed in the treatment of anxiety disorders?

Both interventions are on average equally effective Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of a skillful therapist's attitude towards the patient?

Optimistic but realistic Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the amount of supervision and the outcome of psychotherapy?

No correlation between supervision and outcome Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary limitation of meta-analysis in psychotherapy research?

It is unable to overcome the differences between measures Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of a skillful therapist's interventions?

They are flexible and competent Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary limitation of the American Psychological Association Task Force's list of empirically validated therapies?

The list does not account for the effectiveness of treatments in real-world settings Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the treatments provided by mental health professionals and primary care physicians in the IPT for depression study?

The length of treatment Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of the Consumer Reports study?

The study was retrospective Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using dismantling and constructive design strategies in psychotherapy research?

To identify the efficiency of a specific technique or component of the treatment package Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of using treatment manuals in psychotherapy research?

They reduce the effects of therapist differences Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of cost-benefit analyses of psychotherapies?

To guide clinical decisions Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of methodological pluralism in psychotherapy research?

It is difficult to establish quality criteria in phenomenological and qualitative research Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between multivariate quantitative and phenomenological research?

The use of statistical analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of studying the mechanisms of change in psychotherapy?

To understand how psychotherapy works Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using manual training in psychotherapy?

It reduces the effects of therapist differences Signup and view all the answers

What is a common challenge in integrating different therapeutic procedures?

Therapists' allegiance to therapy schools and theoretical models Signup and view all the answers

What is the aim of clinical guidelines in psychotherapy?

To achieve practice that is firmly rooted in research findings Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of effective training in psychotherapy?

Training in multiple treatment modalities Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of research-based knowledge in psychotherapy training?

To educate patients about psychiatric disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of using brief measures of symptoms and therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy?

To provide feedback about treatment progress Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of effective psychotherapy practice?

Continuous exchange of information among researchers, clinicians, service providers, and third-party payers Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of knowledge about patients' orientation, abilities, and willingness to accept treatment?

It is essential for patient engagement and motivation Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of providing research-based information about effective treatments for various disorders on clinical practice?

It can lead to more favorable directions in clinical practice. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of therapist expertise?

Ability to use manuals and technical recommendations flexibly Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of training in manualized techniques in psychotherapy?

It is essential for developing clinical guidelines Signup and view all the answers

According to the study by Høglend et al. (1993), what is the effect of interpretations of the patient-therapy relationship on long-term mode-specific changes?

It has a positive effect on long-term mode-specific changes. Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of combining psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatment?

It is useful for nonresponders to treatment Signup and view all the answers

What is the finding of the study by Shapiro et al. (1994) regarding the effects of treatment duration and severity of depression on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic interpersonal psychotherapy?

Longer treatment duration is more effective for severe depression. Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism underlying paradoxical interventions, according to the study by Shoham-Salomon et al. (1989)?

The mechanism is based on the patient's perception of control. Signup and view all the answers

What is the finding of the study by Barber et al. (1996) regarding the role of avoidance and obsessiveness in matching patients to cognitive and interpersonal psychotherapy?

Avoidance and obsessiveness are predictors of better outcomes in both cognitive and interpersonal therapy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of the prospective study by Fairburn et al. (1995) on bulimia nervosa and the long-term effects of three psychological treatments?

One treatment was found to be more effective than the others in the long-term. Signup and view all the answers

What is the finding of the study by Borduin et al. (1995) on multisystemic treatment of serious juvenile offenders?

The treatment was found to be effective in reducing criminality and violence in the long-term. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of treatment fidelity in successful dissemination, according to the study by Henggeler et al. (1997)?

Treatment fidelity is important in successful dissemination and is a key factor in therapy outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Official Government Websites

Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil
The https protocol ensures a secure connection to the official website and encrypts any information provided

NLM Disclaimer

Inclusion in an NLM database does not imply endorsement or agreement with the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health

Recent Trends in Psychotherapy

Increased openness to diverse theoretical perspectives and empirical evaluation
Shift towards more pragmatic clinical theories and mini-theories focused on specific problem domains
Trend towards merging of behavioral and cognitive psychotherapy
Psychodynamic therapy has become more short-term and focused

Effectiveness of Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is generally effective beyond the effects of placebo controls
63 out of 100 patients achieve successful outcomes with systematic psychotherapy versus 38 out of 100 with placebo or minimal treatment
Good deal of change can be stimulated in a shorter time than previously thought

Common Factors and Technique Differences

Common factors such as therapeutic relationship, faith in the wisdom of the sanctioned healer, and "reconditioning" via learning may account for a considerable amount of observed change
Important specific technique differences emerge in the treatment of depression, phobias, and substance abuse
Active and specifically targeted interventions have added something unique over and above the effect of common or unspecific factors

Patient Characteristics and Therapeutic Alliance

Patient characteristics such as locus of control, motivation, and interpersonal relationships interact with variation in therapeutic techniques to produce differential outcomes
Suitable patients achieve successful outcomes three times as often as less suitable patients
The quality of the therapeutic alliance is significantly associated with favorable outcome

Therapist Differences and Skillfulness

Therapist differences produce differences in outcome
Skillful therapists use techniques in a flexible and competent way, adjusting their interventions according to the patient's maturity and responses
Research is limited and inconclusive on what creates a skillful therapist

Measurement of Clinical Phenomena and Outcome Assessment

Precise measurement of clinical phenomena continues to be problematic
Hundreds of measures are used without adequately demonstrated reliability and validity
Outcome assessment should involve different perspectives, dimensions, and mode-specific measures
Clinical significance should be determined by establishing a normative reference criterion

Long-term Effects of Therapy

Interest in the long-term effects of therapy is growing
Limited empirical knowledge is available, but recent reviews suggest that differences between treated and control patients are virtually the same at post-treatment and follow-ups
Some studies suggest a trend towards the continuing increase of differences during long-term follow-up periods

Combined Treatments and Maintenance Strategies

Discussions of the relative efficacy of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are becoming less influenced by ideology
Combined treatment provides improvement over individual treatments in some cases
Supportive or educational psychotherapeutic interventions can enhance the maintenance of treatment effects

Effectiveness of Psychotherapy in Real-world Settings

The American Psychological Association Task Force produced a list of empirically validated therapies for mental disorders
Psychotherapy interventions that are not included on the list are missing because they have not been subjected to controlled clinical trials
The effectiveness of psychotherapy in real-world settings is not extensively studied, but the Consumer Reports study suggests that psychotherapy helps those who actually seek it### Therapist Expertise and Knowledge
Trainees need research-based knowledge to educate and inform patients about psychiatric disorders and alternative treatments.
Understanding patients' orientation, abilities, and willingness to accept treatment techniques is crucial for therapist expertise.
Recognizing when more specialized care or long-term treatment is required is a key competence for therapists.

Treatment of Recurrent Disorders

Knowledge of long-term maintenance treatments and procedures for relapse prevention is essential for treating patients with recurrent disorders, high comorbidity, or poor social functioning.
Combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatment may be reasonable for nonresponders, despite limited evidence for its superiority.

Monitoring Treatment Delivery and Progress

Therapists need to learn how to monitor treatment delivery and patient progress.
Using a brief measure of symptoms and a measure of the therapeutic alliance can provide important feedback about treatment progress.

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice

Evidence-based psychotherapy practice involves continuous exchange of information among researchers, clinicians, service providers, and third-party payers.
Providing users with research-based information about effective treatments can influence clinical practice in favorable directions.

Research Studies and Findings

Brief dynamic psychotherapy can lead to long-term mode-specific changes (Høglend et al., 1993).
Treatment duration and severity of depression can affect the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic interpersonal psychotherapy (Shapiro et al., 1994).
Paradoxical interventions can lead to changes in behavior (Shoham-Salomon et al., 1989).
Avoidance and obsessiveness can influence the effectiveness of cognitive and interpersonal psychotherapy (Barber et al., 1996).
Multisystemic treatment can be effective in preventing criminality and violence in juvenile offenders (Borduin et al., 1995).
Long-term effects of transference interpretations can be significant in brief dynamic psychotherapy (Høglend, 1996).
Multisystemic therapy can be effective in treating violent and chronic juvenile offenders and their families (Henggeler et al., 1997).

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Description

Learn how to identify trustworthy sources for psychology research, including official government websites and NLM databases. Understand recent trends in psychotherapy and more.