Social support interventions: do they work?

Meta-analysis of comparative therapy outcome studies: a replication and refinement.

Used meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy treatments were compared to control groups and therapist-administered treatments. The mean estimated effect size (d) of the 70 samples analyzed was +0.565. There was no significant differences between the effects of bibliotherapy and therapist-administered treatments, as well as no significant erosion of effect sizes at follow-up. Bibliotherapy did appear more effective for certain problem types (assertion training, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction) than for others (weight loss, impulse control, and studying problems). Overall, the amount of therapist contact during bibliotherapy did not seem to relate to effectiveness, but there was evidence that certain problem types (weight loss and anxiety reduction) responded better with increased therapist contact. Recommendations for future research were given, especially for more research on the commonly purchased books and moderator analyses by personality type and reading ability.

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A meta-analysis of bibliotherapy studies

With the recognition that most psychiatric disorders are associated with severe and persisting disability and the development of effective procedures for improving the long-term outcome of patients, the term "psychiatric rehabilitation" is becoming routinely used in the mental health field. Psychiatric rehabilitation has begun to take its place as a viable, credible intervention approach, even infiltrating professionals' jargon and administrators' program descriptions. The field of psychiatric rehabilitation has progressed to the stage where its history can be traced; its conceptual base and treatment strategies described; its practice observed, monitored, and replicated; and its future growth anchored in a research foundation.

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The Practice of Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Historical, Conceptual, and Research Base

Background. Although the burden of emotional disorders is very high, mental health care is only available to a minority of patients. The literature suggests that self-help strategies, both bibliotherapy and self-help groups alike, are effective for various, less serious complaints but it is unclear whether available data support a role for self-help in treatment protocols for patients with clinically significant emotional disorders. Method. We searched the literature with a focus on 'anxiety' and/or 'depressive disorder'. Standardized assessment of diagnosis or symptoms and randomized controlled trials were inclusion criteria for a meta-analysis. Results. The mean effect size of self-help (mainly bibliotherapy) v. control conditions is 0(.)84, and 0(.)76 for follow-up; the effect sizes of self-help v. treatment are -0(.)03 and -0(.)07 respectively. A longer treatment period is more effective. Conclusions. Bibliotherapy for clinically significant emotional disorders is more effective than waiting list or no treatment conditions. The dearth of studies on self-help groups for emotional disorders does not permit an evidence-based conclusion concerning the effects of self-help groups. No difference was found between bibliotherapy and psychiatric treatment of relatively short duration.

Aqualyn Caldwell

Papers

Effect of social skills training groups and social skills bibliotherapy with psychiatric patients.