Self-help is as Effective as Face-to-face Therapy, According to This Study
But there is a twist
Self-help is a form of low-intensity treatment for mental health issues and has become increasingly popular over the past years.
Some of this form of therapy’s benefits include:
- 24/7 accessibility
- Reduced costs
- Less stigma around mental illness
- Accessible opportunities to connect with others that have been through the same
Now, a Dutch study has found that the effects of self-help are comparable to the effects of face-to-face therapy with a licensed psychologist.
In fact, there has never been any convincing evidence that the following leads to more effective results:
- Number of sessions
- Complex forms of therapy
- In-person therapy
- Qualifications of the therapist
This, however, does not mean that these can’t be more effective, there just hasn’t ever been any evidence found for it.
Many researchers argue that the expectations and preferences of the patient are most important when it comes to achieving results.
There are some things worth noting about the promising results from the self-help-study:
- The research was done for people with depression and anxiety, it can’t be said if these results apply to other mental problems as well
- The self-help method in the research was guided: under the supervision of a therapist. The patients were still talking to a therapist on a sporadic basis (to help them with planning, coordinating, and problem-solving in their self-help process)
I love hearing from my readers. Have you ever had any experience with low-intensity treatments for mental problems? What do you think about these results?
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