Just off the academic presses, two British researchers--Chris Boyce of University of Warwick and Alex Wood of University of Manchester--have shown that the psychological well-being gained from a 4 month course of psychotherapy is worth far more--32 times more!-- than the money used to fund it!
Looking at large data samples collected in the areas of economics, law, social policy and health, Boyce and Wood sorted out the "cost" of psychological distress from various life events (e.g. unemployment, personal loss and injury) and good mental health outcomes in psychotherapy. When the cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy was compared with direct financial compensation, they determined it would take a one-time pay raise of $41,000 to get the same well-being boost achieved from a $1300 course of psychological treatment.
You can check it out yourself at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/ias/earlycareer/2009-10/psrfbb/boycewood_hep_website_copy.pdf
(Not too technical at all and very jargon-free!)
....Or listen to Boyce's lively, easy-going radio interview (only 20 minutes) about this work and its eye-opening implications at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oljsoor8QDE
Take care, everyone!
Monday, March 22, 2010
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