The New York Times’ Well Blog has a fascinating post this week on why mental health therapists do not consistently use evidence-based techniques in treating their patients.
The post cites a meta-analysis conducted in 2009 that found patients rarely received evidence-based psychological treatments. And when patients do receive them, they are often not implemented as well as they should be.
In addition to referencing a wide range of studies, the author quotes mental health experts on possible reasons for the gap between evidence and practice in mental health care. One common assumption is that many therapists see their work as more of an art form than a science. Another reason is that some clinical therapists aren’t trained in evidence-based therapy methods.
It’s nice to see such a thorough evaluation of a health topic in the mainstream media – especially because it’s presented in a reader-friendly format.
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