Implicit and Explicit Beliefs About the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy vs. Medication: A Large-Scale Examination and Replication. Issue 11 (8th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silverman, Alexandra L.; Werntz, Alexandra; Ko, Tomohiro M.; Teachman, Bethany A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of nervous and mental disease. Volume 209:Issue 11(2021)
• Page Start: 783
• Page End: 795
• Publication Date: 2021-11-08
• Subjects: Treatment preference -- effectiveness -- implicit associations -- therapy -- medication; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Neurology; Psychiatry; Neurologie; Psychiatrie; Neurology; Psychiatry; Periodicals; 616.8005
• DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001384
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3018

Abstract

Abstract : Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Abstract: One exploratory study ( N = 10, 335) and one preregistered replication and extension study ( N = 6648) evaluated implicit and explicit beliefs in the effectiveness of psychotherapy versus medication, and whether these beliefs vary as a function of demographics, mental health difficulties, and treatment experiences. Data were collected from a sample of visitors to a mental health research website who completed the Therapy vs. Medication Effectiveness Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT demonstrated evidence of convergent validity with two measures of explicit therapy versus medication effectiveness beliefs. Across both studies, individuals held greater implicit and explicit beliefs that therapy is more effective than medication, and individuals who were Black (versus all other races, excluding "other/unknown") and who had experienced past (versus current) mental health difficulties had stronger implicit and explicit beliefs in the effectiveness of therapy versus medication. More work is needed to understand how these differences in beliefs arise, as well as to evaluate the clinical utility of this novel measure.