Assessment & Treatment
Focused on the critical aspects of assessment and treatment in psychotherapy, this section offers resources, guidelines, and discussions on effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to improve client outcomes.
277 articles found
Shame and Self-Stigma Among Suicidal Patients
Many psychotherapists have treated patients who denied suicidal ideation, and then attempted suicide later. This can leave the treating psychotherapists upset, bewildered, and asking what they could have done differently. Sometimes patients who unexpectedly attempted suicide developed their suicidal thoughts after their psychotherapists asked them about suicide. At other times, these patients already had suicidal […]
Samuel Knapp, Ed.D., ABPP
April 9, 2023
Integrating culture and religion/spirituality with evidence-based treatments for underserved groups
Individuals from minoritized backgrounds often lack access to adequate evidence-based care. Many are reluctant to seek professional psychological help (Cook et al., 2017), and those who do are more likely to drop out of treatment prematurely (Mowbray et al., 2018). The underutilization of mental health treatment is in part due to higher stigma of mental […]
Salman Shaheen Ahmad, M.S. + 2 more
January 5, 2023
Low Intensity Intervention Resources for Patients Waiting for Therapy
Long wait lists for mental health treatment are a major barrier to accessing care and have been associated with symptom worsening and dropout. Despite this, individuals who are waiting for treatment represent a unique opportunity for intervention as they have already overcome significant barriers (e.g., stigma) that are involved in reaching out to mental health […]
Allison Peipert, BS + 2 more
January 5, 2023
The Impact of Social Connection in the Treatment of Addiction in Veterans
Introduction It is well understood that Veterans and those in active duty strongly identify with their brothers and sisters at arms and experience common struggles associated with the throes of military service. They obtain a sense of purpose, belonging, and connectedness when in the presence of other Veterans, notably because they are part of a […]
Justin Trapani, PsyD
December 17, 2022
The Impact of “Homework” Practice on Results for Digital Therapeutics
This is article part of a series of articles exploring methods for improving the results for the online program. This article investigates whether completion of home assignments is associated with greater improvement on well researched self-report outcome questionnaires for adults utilizing an online self-directed cognitive behavioral therapy program. Results suggest that completion of homework assignments […]
George (Jeb) S Brown, Ph.D. + 1 more
October 23, 2022
Improving Programming for Military Families Using Community Based Participatory Research
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a scientific approach that involves engaging key stakeholders in the research process. CBPR enhances access, engagement, and responsiveness to behavioral health programming, especially for underserved or specialized populations with unique cultures and needs. The unique stressors associated with the deployment cycle (DeVoe & Ross, 2012) and the nuances of military […]
Abby Blankenship, Ph.D. + 9 more
September 1, 2022
Comments on Doing Video Psychotherapy
It has been about two and a half years since the beginning of COVID, which mandated the suspension of in-person psychotherapy contact, forced the rapid closing of offices, and ushered in a mass migration to video psychotherapy. For some colleagues, the change has become permanent, as they have terminated their physical office leases and are […]
Steven J. Hendlin, Ph.D.
September 1, 2022
Involving Concerned Others in the Treatment of Suicidal Patients
Suicides occur from a congruence of many factors including the quality and amount of social support an individual receives. Fortunately, several treatments have strong support for their effectiveness in reducing suicide attempts including cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and the collaborative assessment and management of suicide among others (Calati & Courtet, 2016). Whatever intervention […]
Samuel Knapp, Ed.D., ABPP
September 1, 2022
Improving Results for Digital Therapeutics with Social Support
Research has shown that digital therapeutics (DTx) platforms using tools derived from therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) promote clinical change (Brown et al., 2020). Decades of research also demonstrate the importance of social supports and well as the relationship with the therapist in psychotherapy outcomes (Barker & Pistrang, 2002; Lindfors et al., 2019; Wampold […]
S. (Jeb) Brown, Ph.D. + 1 more
July 10, 2022
A Practice-Based Evidence Approach Pre, During, and Post COVID-19 During Psychotherapy
This article discusses the use of a digital assessment and tracking approach pre, during, and post COVID-19 to monitor changes in emotional stability, depression, anxiety, happiness, affect, life balance, beliefs, spiritual awakening, the working alliance, outcome, and helpfulness/benefits of psychotherapy. Using the online assessment systems developed by Pragmatic Tracker (PT) and Blueprint (BP), two clients […]
Philip H. Friedman, Ph.D.
June 26, 2022
Measurement Based Care for Depression
Depressive disorders are highly prevalent mental health conditions (NIH, 2022). Although effective treatments exist, barriers to care frequently interfere with access to care (Mojtabai et al., 2011). In the absence of prompt interventions, depressive symptoms can last over six months (Whiteford et al., 2013). Thus, there is an imperative to for the mental health field […]
Matteo Bugatti, Ph.D. + 4 more
June 1, 2022
Conceptualizing Epistemic Trust in Psychotherapy
Introduction In today’s rapidly changing social environment, people face the challenge of determining whom they can safely trust and who will lead them astray. Dealing with this challenge is crucial not only for individuals’ survival but also for their adaptation to social norms, habits, and the unstated rules of culture. However, people do not navigate […]
Shimrit Fisher + 2 more
June 1, 2022