Cited by 1,608Psychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsMental Health Treatment and AccessCounseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics

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The effectiveness of psychotherapy: the Consumer Reports study

Seligman, Martin E. P.·1995·American Psychologist

DOI 10.1037/0003-066x.50.12.965

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Abstract

Consumer Reports (1995, November) published an article which concluded that patients benefited very substantially from psychotherapy, that long-term treatment did considerably better than short-term treatment, and that psychotherapy alone did not differ in effectiveness from medication plus psychotherapy. Furthermore, no specific modality of psychotherapy did better than any other for any disorder; psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers did not differ in their effectiveness as treaters; and all did better than marriage counselors and long-term family doctoring. Patients whose length of therapy or choice of therapist was limited by insurance or managed care did worse. The methodological virtues and drawbacks of this large-scale survey are examined and contrasted with the more traditional efficacy study, in which patients are randomized into a manualized, fixed duration treatment or into control groups. I conclude that the Consumer Reports survey complements the efficacy method, and that the best features of these two methods can be combined into a more ideal method that will best provide empirical validation of psychotherapy.

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“Fortunately, we have plenty of data supporting the overall effectiveness (e.g., Leichsenring & Rabung, 2008; Seligman, 1995; Shedler, 2010) and cost-effectiveness (e.g., Lazar, 2010) of longer-term, open-ended, and artful therapies that should be part of any conversation about what is affordable.”
Background
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Carroll, J. F. X. (2009) · Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly · doi:10.1080/07347320903014271 · Cited by 1
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Authors: Seligman, M. E. P.
Affiliations: University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author: Seligman, Martin E. P.
ORCID: Seligman, Martin E. P.
Venue: American Psychologist
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 1995-12
Volume: 50
Issue: 12
Pages: 965-974
ISSN: 0003-066X (ISSN-L)
1935-990X
DOI: 10.1037/0003-066x.50.12.965
OpenAlex: W2121827944
Cited by: 1,608
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 6 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 35 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 46 · 2013: 57 · 2012: 75
FWCI: 75.90
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: American Psychologist (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institute of Mental Health (MH 19604)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics
Keywords: psychotherapy effectiveness, psychotherapy outcome, managed care, efficacy studies, randomized controlled trials, treatment comparison
MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior, Humans, Managed Care Programs, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Psychotherapy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Treatment Outcome

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The effectiveness of psychotherapy: the Consumer Reports study

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