Invitation to Psychology

440 Chapter 12 Approaches to Treatment and Therapy

Recite & Review

Recite: Say aloud whatever you remember about cultural issues in psychotherapy, the scientist–

practitioner gap, randomized controlled trials to evaluate therapies, problems for which cogni-

tive or behavior therapy is the treatment of choice, and factors that increase the risk of harm in

psychotherapy.

Review: Next, read this section as often as you need to, until you understand what makes psy-

chotherapy successful or can make it harmful.

Now take this Quick Quiz:

1. In general, which type of psychotherapy is most effective for anxiety and depression?


2. What are four possible sources of harm in psychotherapy?


3. Ferdie is spending too much time playing softball and not enough time studying, so he signs
   up for “sportaholic therapy” (ST). The therapist tells him the cure for his “addiction” is to quit
   softball cold turkey and tap his temples three times whenever he feels the urge to play. After a
   few months, Ferdie announces that ST isn’t helping and he’s going to stop coming. The thera-
   pist gives him testimonials of clients who swear by ST, adding that Ferdie’s doubts are actually
   a sign that the therapy is working. What is the major scientific flaw in this argument? (Bonus:
   What kind of therapy might help Ferdie manage his time better?)
   Answers:

Study and Review at MyPsychLab

• the use of empirically unsupported techniques, inappropriate or coercive influence, the thera2. cognitive-behavior1.

(see The therapist has violated the principle of falsifiability 3. pist’s prejudice or biased treatment, and unethical behavior

. If Ferdie is helped by the treatment, that shows it works; if he is not helped, that still shows it works and Ferdie Chapter 1)

is simply denying its benefits. Also, Ferdie is not hearing testimonials from people who have dropped out of ST and were not

helped by it. (Bonus: A good behavioral time-management program might help, so Ferdie can play softball and get other

things done, too.)

N

ow that we have reviewed the major kinds of

psychotherapy, along with their successes and

risks, let’s return to the issues raised by “pet therapy”

in our opening story. In late 2012, the Department of

Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it would not pay

for animal-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD,

brain injuries, and other mental disabilities, saying it

was unclear whether the dogs benefit these veterans.

The VA’s decision came as a sad surprise to the

many individuals and organizations who are working

to train dogs and pair them with veterans, prisoners,

patients, and others who might benefit from having a

canine companion. They recognize the need for sci-

entific evidence, they say, but are moved by the many

personal stories of veterans who say they’ve recovered

from PTSD and other psychological problems, and got-

ten their lives back, as a result of having a service dog.

Attachment to pets is an emotional subject, and

emotional reasoning is generally not the best way

to determine the efficacy of a program or a belief.

That is why research is important to verify whether

pet therapy is effective, and for whom, and why

(Lilienfeld & Arkowitz, 2008). Many therapies have

been started on the basis of someone’s intuitive idea

that “Sure, this will work,” only to have the therapy’s

basic premise turn out to be wrong, as in the case of

postcrisis interventions, or to be horribly dangerous,

as is the case with rebirthing and other attachment

therapies.

Rep. Grimm’s bill would only fund a pilot program

of research on pet therapy for veterans, but consider-

able research with other populations has already been

done. In a study of nearly 200 people with serious

mental illnesses, those with pets were coping and

recovering more quickly than those without pets. The

pet owners had lower blood pressure and felt more in

control of their lives (Wisdom, Saedi, & Green, 2009).

Still, there is a big difference between the use of ani-

mals as companions (for recreation and attachment)

and animals used specifically as psychotherapy. After

all, animals cannot help their doting humans solve

problems, understand why a relationship is going

south, or develop constructive ways of expressing

anger. Further, some studies have found that for some

people, pets have either no long-term benefits or add

to their owners’ stress and worry (Herzog, 2011).

Psychology in the news Revisited

418

Biological (^) Psychotherapy Major Schools ofTreatments Evaluating Psychotherapy Psychology in the News, Revisited T (^) Consumer of PsychologicalYoaking Psychology u: Becoming a Smart With
12 Treatments^
of She started having was racing, even a panic able she to attack would fly across in reach public, the down country but and whenever touch to visit her her her dog. heart son
before his deployment to Afghanistan. vice Organizations (^) dogs like Angel in many to help states soldiers have (^) begun recover providing from PTSD. ser-
Their therapy,efforts also are known part of as a pet nationwide therapy, designed trend of animal- to help assistedpeople (^)
WA^ Use of Dogs for^ has SHINGTON, officially introduced DC, January Ve4, a ts With PTSD Is Growingbill, 2013. (^) H.R. Rep. Michael 183, the Grimm Veterans (R-NY)Dog^
TrVeaining terans’ Affairs Committee. The bill Therapy directs Act, the which Secretary has of been Veterans referred Affairs to the to House imple-
ment a pilot program that would evaluate the effectiveness ofof training returning and war using veterans, service dogs with to a particular improve the focus mental on helping health
vets suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The and it is one of the few issues on which they agree.bill’s 40 cosponsors include Republicans and Democrats,
Col. Iraq suffer Kathryn Many^ soldiers from Champion severe returning medical was one from and of duty emotional them. in She Afghanistan problems. had served Lt. and
(^27) duty died, years in she Iraq, in began the during Armyto suffer which , but the five after symptoms a soldiers particularly under of PTSD. horrific her command When tour she of
returned go blind; her Army career was finishedcontracted home, in Iraq she was fell killing into deep her optic depression:. nerves, causing A virus her she to
her Just^ Then with two a Champion weeks guide after dog, their a found golden an training organization retriever together mix named that ended, matched Angel. Angel
began helping Champion with her psychological problems aswell as her blindness. Champion was terrified of flying and
PSYCHOLOGY IN THE NEWS
APPROACHES TO
TREATMENT AND
THERAPY
Kathryn Champion, who suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety attacks after returning from duty in Iraq, with her dog Angel.