depression treatment eval

• support

  ellis claimed a 90% success rate for rebt, taking an average of 27 sessions to complete the treatment. this suggests that the treatment is useful as it has helped treat depression for many individuals
• counter

  cbt appears to be less suitable for people who have high levels of irrational beliefs that are both rigid and resistant to change. ellis also suggests a lack of success in terms of suitability - some people simply do not want the direct sort of advice that cbt practitioners tend to dispense. this suggests that an individual’s unique differences will impact the success
• alternative

  the most popular treatment for depression is the use of antidepressants such as ssris. drug therapies have the advantage of requiring less effort on the part of the client. this suggests that they may be an easier route for the client to take and that this may be as effective as therapy
• applications

  rosenzweig (1936) suggested that the differences between various methods of psychotherapy might actually be quite small. all psychotherapies have one essential ingredient - the relationship between therapist and patient. it may be the quality of this relationship that determines success rather than any particular technique. many comparative reviews find very small differences between therapies, suggesting that they share a common basis
• i&d

  this argument may be reductionist. it attributes depression to cognition and can ignore other factors. this suggests that it does not provide a full explanation of what causes depression. mccusker thinks that cbt may end up minimising the circumstances in which the patient is living. those living in poverty or suffering abuse need to change their circumstances rather than their thinking. the emphasis on thinking and the need for this to change places blame on the patient for their depression and may cause harm rather than help the patient