psychology short answers

Question

Refer to the following passage as you complete Items 1-5:

Evidence-based treatment (EBT) refers to “interventions, strategies, or techniques that have been found to produce therapeutic and desired changes during controlled research studies” (Ciccarelli & White, 2020, p. 610). One of the central tenets of EBT is that if research has shown one therapy to be superior in treating a specific psychological problem, that therapy should be preferentially used. Although this approach may seem obvious, the push towards EBT has been met with some resistance. In particular, some clinicians worry that their ability to use their own judgment and make what they consider to be the best decisions for their clients will be taken away from them if they are forced to use EBT.

1.    In your opinion, is it ethical to allow therapists to continue to use older treatments when research indicates more effective treatments are available? Why or why not?

2.    In your opinion, should insurance companies pay for treatments that have NOT been shown to be effective? Why or why not?

3.    If research indicates that one therapy is generally superior for the treatment of a disorder, does that mean that it will lead to the best possible outcome for all clients with that disorder? Explain your answer.

4.    In your opinion, should clients have some say in the type of therapy they receive? Explain your answer.

5.    In your opinion, should medical doctors have the same freedom in treating patients for physical disorders that psychotherapists often have in treating clients for psychological disorders? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Hello Kate! The questions following the passage ask for your opinion, so it is important to read the passage and state how you feel about the topic. For question 1, do you feel that it is acceptable to use older treatments or do you feel that treatment methods that have been labeled as "more effective" should be the only acceptable methods. Question 2 asks if you think that insurance companies should be willing to cover treatments that have not been shown to be effective. Why do you feel the way you feel? Question 3 is an interesting one: It is asking if you believe that one specific treatment will work for all clients with that disorder. For example: If you have 10 people with severe depression and research states that there is one main treatment plan - will that treatment plan be the best possible treatment for all 10 people? For question 4: If you feel that a specific treatment is the best plan for a client, but they have heard about another treatment from a friend that they would like to try - should you allow the client to try their treatment method? Or, if the client if completely against a specific type of therapy, should they have a say in what they feel would work best for them? Question 5: I believe they are asking for your opinion as to whether a medical doctor should be able to treat physical ailments in the same fashion as psychotherapists have in treating clients with psychological disorders. Do you feel that doctors should have freedom to choose treatment methods when it comes to physical issues? Or, should they use the method that is proven most likely to work? Explain why or why not.