Psychotherapy has come a long way since the days of Freudian psychoanalysis – today, rigorous scientific studies are providing evidence for the kinds of psychotherapies that effectively treat various psychiatric disorders. But Alan Kazdin, the John M. Musser Professor of Psychology at Yale University, believes that we must acknowledge a basic truth – all of our progress and development in evidence-based psychotherapy has failed to solve the rather serious problem of mental illness in the United States. In an article published in the January 2011 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, Kazdin and his co-author, Stacey Blase, also at Yale University, urge psychological scientists to rethink the current mental health system in order to make adequate treatment available and accessible to all who need it.
Now, in the latest issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, several eminent scientists have come forth in response to Kazdin and Blase's article, highlighting important points that will need to be addressed before the mental health care system can be overhauled, including:
While the notion of rethinking the current approach to mental health care seems like an incredibly daunting endeavor, there is some hope. As the authors of one commentary point out, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs has already developed and implemented new and innovative programs to address the mental health of its veterans.
Together, these commentaries offer frank insights into the challenges we face in trying to address the mental health burden in the United States.
For more information about this study, please contact: Alan Kazdin at alan.kazdin@yale.edu .
Perspectives on Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information. It publishes an eclectic mix of thought-provoking articles on the latest important advances in psychology. For a copy of the article "Rebooting Psychotherapy Research and Practice to Reduce the Burden of Mental Illness" and access to other Perspectives on Psychological Science research findings, please contact Lucy Hyde at 202-293-9300 or lhyde@psychologicalscience.org .
Perspectives on Psychological Science