Psychotherapy Research Flashcards
Question ID #10300: Efficacy studies are most useful for establishing:
Select one:
A.
generalizability.
B.
feasibility.
C.
cost-effectiveness.
D.
treatment effect.
The correct answer is D.
Efficacy studies are most useful for establishing whether or not a treatment has an effect, while effectiveness studies are best for assessing clinical utility; i.e., for determining a treatment’s generalizability, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Answers A, B, and C: Effectiveness studies are used to assess generalizability, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Question ID #10967: An advantage of using treatment manuals in clinical practice is that they:
Select one:
A.
ensure that the clinician incorporates effective nonspecific factors into an intervention.
B.
reduce the need for training and supervision in the selection and application of empirically supported treatments.
C.
make it easier for a clinician to adapt a treatment to the individual needs of a client.
D.
provide the clinician with concrete examples that illustrate the appropriate application of an intervention.
The correct answer is D.
The use of treatment manuals in clinical practice continues to be controversial, with experts citing both advantages and disadvantages. Most current treatment manuals provide information on the delivery of empirically supported treatments and include concrete examples. Therefore, of the answers given, this is the best one. See, e.g., M. J. Lambert et al., Compendium of current psychotherapy treatment manuals, in G. P. Koocher, J. C. Norcross, and S. S. Hill (Eds.), Psychologists’ desk reference (pp. 202-209), New York, Oxford, 1998.
Answer A: One of the criticisms of treatment manuals is that they do not take effective nonspecific factors into account.
Answer B: Use of a treatment manual does not eliminate the need for adequate training and supervision.
Answer C: Another criticism of treatment manuals is that they reduce a clinician’s flexibility in applying an intervention to individual clients.
Question ID #12521: Which of the following individuals is at greatest risk for death by suicide?
Select one:
A.
A 76-year-old widowed man
B.
A 30-year-old divorced woman
C.
A 23-year-old married man
D.
A 39-year-old single woman
The correct answer is A.
In general, suicide rates are higher for men, for single, divorced, and widowed (versus married) individuals, and for older people. Therefore, of the individuals listed in the answers, the risk would be highest for a 76-year-old widowed man.
Answer B: While being divorced is a risk factor, this individual does not present at a higher risk level than a widowed elderly man (three risk factors).
Answer C: Of the individuals listed, this individual presents at the lowest risk level for suicide.
Answer D: While being single is a risk factor, this individual does not present at a higher risk level than a widowed elderly man (three risk factors).
Question ID #12568: Based on his review of the psychotherapy outcome studies, Hans Eysenck (1952) concluded that:
Select one:
A.
treated and untreated patients show very little improvement in symptoms.
B.
treated and untreated patients both show improvement but are indistinguishable in terms of amount of improvement.
C.
treated patients are consistently “better off” than untreated patients in terms of symptom improvement.
D.
untreated patients are often “better off” than treated patients in terms of symptom improvement.
The correct answer is D.
The debate about the effectiveness of psychotherapy was fueled in the 1950s by the results of Eysenck’s study. Eysenck found that 72% of untreated neurotic adults improved, while only 66% of those receiving eclectic therapy and 44% of those receiving psychoanalytic psychotherapy showed a substantial decrease in symptoms.
Answers A, B, and C: These statements are not consistent with Eysenck’s findings.
Question ID #12569: Howard et al. (1996) found that, after _____ sessions of therapy, approximately 75 percent of therapy patients evidenced a measurable improvement in symptoms.
Select one:
A.
12
B.
16
C.
26
D.
32
The correct answer is C.
Howard and his colleagues found that, up to a point, the longer the duration of therapy, the better its effects. They referred to this as the dose-dependent effect. The results of Howard et al.’s research indicated that, after 26 weeks of therapy, about 75% of patients exhibited measurable benefits, and from there it begins to level off.
Answers A, B, and D: Howard and colleagues found that the relationship between treatment outcome and therapeutic effect levels off at about 26 sessions.
Question ID #12570: Research investigating the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy as a treatment for depression for older adults suggests that:
Select one:
A.
older adults benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy when its duration is brief (less than 12 sessions).
B.
older adults benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy, especially when it is conducted at a slower pace.
C.
older adults benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy only when their therapist is the same gender and similar in terms of age.
D.
older adults are not likely to benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy.
The correct answer is B.
The studies have generally confirmed that older adults benefit from a variety of forms of psychotherapy, including cognitive-behavioral therapy. While older adults generally benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy, its effects are maximized when it is modified to fit the needs of members of this population. One effective modification is to present therapy at a slower pace.
Answer A: Research has found that there is a benefit to slowing the pace of treatment rather than reducing the number of sessions.
Answer C: Research does not suggest that therapist matching is necessary for older adults to benefit from CBT.
Answer D: Research has found that older adults do benefit from CBT.
Question ID #13632: The first use of meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of psychotherapy is attributed to:
Select one:
A.
Jacobson and Christensen.
B.
Eysenck.
C.
Smith and colleagues.
D.
Howard and colleagues.
The correct answer is C.
Meta-analysis was originally used by Karl Pearson in 1904 to evaluate the extent to which smallpox inoculation increased survival rates. At that time, the technique was not known as “meta-analysis.” It was not until the 1970s that the term “meta-analysis” was introduced by Smith and Glass, who also refined the technique and were the first to apply it to psychotherapy outcome studies. [See Smith and Glass (1977), Meta-analysis of psychotherapy outcome studies, American Psychologist, 1977, 32, 752-760].
Answer A: You may be familiar with the names of these researchers from the Clinical Psychology chapter of your study materials, where they are cited as proponents of both efficacy and effectiveness research.
Answer B: One criticism of Eysenck’s 1952 study on the effectiveness of psychotherapy is that the study did not utilize meta-analysis.
Answer D: Howard and colleagues studied the relationship between treatment length and outcome.
Question ID #13914: Which of the following groups has the lowest psychiatric hospital admission rate?
Select one:
A.
Married persons
B.
Never married persons
C.
Divorced persons
D.
Widowed persons
The correct answer is D.
The statistics on psychiatric hospital admission rates vary from study to study. However, as it relates to marital status, the consensus suggests that the highest psychiatric admission rates are among those who have never been married while those who have been widowed have the lowest rates.
Answers A, B, and C: For both men and women, admission rates into psychiatric hospitals are lowest among the widowed, intermediate for those who are married or divorced/separated, and highest for the never married.
