A random sample of 300 psychologists listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology were surveyed about the soundness of forms of mental health treatment and use of these treatments in practice. The 139 psychologists responding expressed greatest confidence in cognitive-behavioral therapy and antipsychotic medications. Approaches most in question as to soundness were primal therapy, neurolinguistic programming, bioenergetics, and aversive therapy. Factor analysis indicated widespread endorsement and use of multiple techniques within two broad camps of research-based “hard-edged” versus clinical wisdom/philosophy-based “soft-edged.”
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