Clinical and Treatment – Scott D.Miller

Is THAT true? Judging Evidence by How Often its Repeated

I’m sure you’ve heard it repeated many times: The term, “evidence-based practice” refers to specific treatment approaches which have been tested in research and found to be effective; CBT is the most effective form of psychotherapy for anxiety and depression; Neuroscience has added valuable insights to the practice of psychotherapy in addition to establishing the — read more
Symptom Reduction or Well-being: What Outcome should Matter Most in Psychotherapy

So, what contributes to a living a long, healthy life? Clean Air? Being lean versus overweight? The absence of depression or anxiety? Exercising regularly? Getting a flu vaccine? Abstaining from smoking? Minimizing alcohol intake? Personal sense of meaning? Close interpersonal relationships? Social integration? OK, I’ll come clean: all contribute–but not equally. Far from it. Some are more important than others. So, what contributes — read more
Clinical Practice Guidelines: Beneficial Development or Bad Therapy?

A couple of weeks ago, the American Psychological Association (APA) released clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Developed over four years using a rigorous process,” according to an article in the APA Monitor, these are the first of many additional recommendations of specific treatment methods for particular psychiatric diagnoses to be published — read more
That’s it. I’m done. It’s time for me to say goodbye.

Ending psychotherapy. Whether formal or informal, planned or unplanned, it’s going to happen every time treatment is initiated. What do we know about the subject? Nearly 50% of people who start, discontinue without warning. At the time they end, half have experienced no meaningful improvement in their functioning or well-being. On the other hand, of those who — read more
Using Feedback Informed Treatment to Improve Medication Adherence and Reduce Healthcare Costs

Medication adherence is a BIG problem. According to recent research, nearly one-third of the prescriptions written are never filled. Other data document that more than 60% of people who actually go the pharmacy and get the drug, do not take it as prescribed. What’s the problem, you may ask? Inefficiency aside, the health risks are — read more
Obesity Redux: The RFL Results and complex Nature of Truth and Science

Back in April, I blogged about research published by Ryan Sorrell on the use of feedback-informed treatment in a telephonically-divered weight management program. The study, which appeared in the journal Disease Management*, not only found that the program and feedback led to weight loss, but also significant improvements in distress, health eating behaviors (70%), exercise (65%), and presenteeism on… — read more
The Effects of Feedback on Medication Compliance and Outcome: Follow Up on The University of Pittsburgh Study

Late last year, I blogged about a study being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh by Dr. Jan Pringle, the director of the Program Evalutation Research Unit in the School of Pharmacology and her colleague, Dr. Michael Melczak. You’ll recall, there were two conditions in the study. In the first, pharmacists–the practitioner most likely to interact… — read more
Neurobabble: Comments from Dr. Mark Hubble on the Latest Fad in the World of Therapy

Rarely does a day go by without hearing about another "advance" in the neurobiology of human behavior. Suddenly, it seems, the world of psychotherapy has discovered that people have brains! And now where the unconscious, childhood, emotions, behaviors, and cognitions once where…neurons, plasticity, and magnetic resonance imagining now is. Alas, we are a field forever… — read more
Practice-Based Evidence in Norway: An Interview with Psychologist Mikael Aagard

For those of you following me on Twitter–and if you’re not, click here to start–you know that I was traveling above the artic circle in Norway last week. I always enjoy visiting the Scandanavia countries. My grandparents immigrated from nearby Sweden. I lived there myself for a number of years (and speak the language). And I am married… — read more
Are all treatments approaches equally effective?

Bruce Wampold, Ph.D. Late yesterday, I blogged about a soon-to-be published article in Clinical Psychology Review in which the authors argue that the finding by Benish, Imel, & Wampold (2008) of equivalence in outcomes among treatments for PTSD was due to, "bias, overgeneralization, lack of transparency, and poor judgement." Which interpretation of the evidence is correct? Are there… — read more
Holidays and Suicide: Tis’ the Season NOT!

The notion that suicides increase during the holiday season is as traditional as "Santa Claus"–and, according to statistics dating back at least a decade, just as illusory. In fact, research actually shows suicide rates to be the lowest in December! According to Dan Romer, a researcher at the Annenberb Public Policy Center at the University… — read more
The Effects of Feedback on Medication Compliance and Outcome: The University of Pittsburgh Study

A number of years ago, I was conducting a workshop in Pittsburgh. At some point during the training, I met Dr. Jan Pringle, the director of the Program Evalutation Research Unit in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Pittsburgh. Jan had an idea: use outcome feedback to improve pharmacy practice and outcome. Every… — read more
Whoa Nellie! A 25 Million Dollar Study of Treatments for PTSD

I have in my hand a frayed and yellowed copy of observations once made by a well known trainer of horses. The trainer’s simple message for leading a productive and successful professional life was, “If the horse you’re riding dies, get off.” You would think the advice straightforward enough for all to understand and benefit. And yet,… — read more
The Crown Jewel of Research on CDOI: Professor Jan Blomqvist receives 2.9 million crown grant for RCT on feedback in Sweden

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, then you know that last week I was touring and teaching in different spots around Europe. First, I presented two days in Copenhagen. Then I keynoted the British Association of Counseling and Psychotherapy Conference in Newcastle, England. Early Saturday morning, I flew from London to Stockholm. My long time friend… — read more