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Costs and benefits of behavioural psychotherapy: a pilot study of neurotics treated by nurse-therapists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Gary Ginsberg  and
Isaac Marks
Gary Ginsberg*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London
Isaac Marks
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Mr Gary Ginsberg, Research Project Leader, Wandsworth Social Services Research and Planning Section, Welbeck House, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 2PU.
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Synopsis

A pilot study is reported of costs and benefits from behavioural psychotherapy by nurse-therapists for selected neurotic problems. Figures are based on the treatment of 42 neurotics (mainly phobics and obsessive-compulsives) who completed treatment with nurse-therapists in a mean of 9 sessions (16 hours). The year before and after treatment was studied. Apart from significant and lasting reduction in patients' distress, economic benefits to them, their families and the community yielded a worthwhile internal rate of return when benefits from the cohort continue for 3 years, a reasonable assumption on available other evidence. Though untreated phobics did not improve elsewhere over 5 years follow-up, a controlled study would seem desirable.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 7 , Issue 4 , November 1977 , pp. 685 - 700
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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