Outcome studies of psychological interventions: Lessons from sex therapy research

Abstract

Research into the effectiveness of psychological therapies is complex and fraught with methodological problems. There remains a split between psychotherapists who use cognitive or behavioural therapies and psychoanalytic or dynamic therapists as regards the use of symptom measurements, interventions and outcome. Using two studies on treatment of sexual dysfunction we illustrate conceptual and methodological issues, especially treatment definitions, outcome measures, drop-out, problems of recruitment as well as generalizable applicability of research observations into clinical settings. Multicentred studies may provide some answers but homogeneity of research sample may need to be sacrificed to heterogeneity of research population.