A tried and tested way of ensuring textured evaluation for treatments and therapies is to include information on the following headings:
Evidence
What studies are there that demonstrate that the treatment alleviates the full range of symptoms of the disorder? What are the relapse and remissions rates for this treatment/therapy?
GRAVE the evidence:
Are there any problems with this evidence, e.g. doesn’t track the Pps longitudinally for long enough, only uses mild-moderate cases, doesn’t use active placebos, uses only quan data (issues with validity/credibility), not a double bind rial etc.
Problems with the evidence base which supports the theory upon which the therapy is based?
Practical issues with the therapy, e.g time , cost, level of training required from therapist, can it be delivered in a group or only individually, can it be delivered by computer, (both of these last points make the therapy cost-effective), what side effects ae there and do they lead to non-compliance etc.
Ethical/moral/social implications
To what extent is the Pp an active partner in their recovery or to what extent are they under the control of the doctor? Link to issue of social control.
This handout is for the old spec and needs a little revising but still very helpful for now! evaluating-treatments-and-therapiesmy-copy-4
psychologyrocks 