Is Long-Term Psychotherapy Unethical: Toward a Social Ethic in an Era of Managed Care [Hardcover]

Carol Shaw Austad (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0787902187 | ISBN-13: 978-0787902186 | Edition: 1

Filled with solid research, clinical examples, and interviews, Is Long-Term Psychotherapy Unethical? makes a persuasive case for the cost-saving, practical, and goal-oriented use of short-term therapy. It challenges the profession to provide behavioral health care that is widely accessible, responsible, and ethical.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In an era of managed care delivery systems which focus on both clinical quality and cost effectiveness, Austad has sought to examine the efficacy and ethics of long-term psychotherapy. She has succeeded in writing a book which will be a worthwhile resource for all current practitioners, regardless of their theoretical orientation and practice patterns." --Jeffrey I. Bragman, CEO, Health Marketing and Management, Healthcare Consultant

"Should be required reading for everyone who practices psychotherapy in the 1990s. Of all active professionals in the field today, Carol Shaw Austad alone can lay claim to such fearless clarity of vision and old-fashioned common sense." --Steven E. Salmony, psychological consultant, Department of Social Services, State of North Carolina

"Carol Shaw Austad has written a truly provocative book for the modern mental health practitioner attempting to survive in the rapidly changing world of mental health care reimbursement. Austad `jars' the reader out of firmly held preconceptions to allow them to `see' the opportunities in a more flexible view of mental health treatment. Yet, she also is not `blind' to the pitfalls of many of the new mental health managed care systems." --Louis J. DeStefano, mental health director, Community Health Center, Inc., Middletown, CT

"Is Long-Term Psychotherapy Unethical? raises some of the most crucial questions confronting psychology today." --William H. Berman, associate professor of psychology, Fordham University, and president of BHOS, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

For decades, the practice of long-term psychotherapy has gone unchallenged as the "treatment of choice" for a broad variety of emotional problems. But recently, as profound changes in the delivery of behavioral health care have introduced the question of economy and effectiveness, the time has come to debunk the myth.In this provocative and very persuasive book, professor and clinical psychologist Carol Shaw Austad demonstrates that numerous studies have indicated long-term therapy to be no more effective in its outcomes than short-term therapy. The so-called "traditional" model (though Freud himself was the first short-term therapist) may provide a steady source of clients and income for mental health professionals. Austad argues however, that in an age when limited resources are attempting to provide universal care for millions of individuals and families who need and deserve treatment, a more accountable system of intermittent, short-term therapy is clearly more ethical and fair.The book is filled with solid research, illustrative clinical examples, and interviews that demonstrate the effectiveness of good managed care. In addition, the author outlines a new model of behavioral health care in which the criteria and priorities for psychological services are driven by societal needs and resources. Is Long-Term Psychotherapy Unethical? makes a persuasive case for the cost-saving, practical, and goal-oriented use of short-term therapy and challenges the profession to provide behavioral health care that is widely available, responsible, and ethical. Furthermore, Austad raises a number of controversial and thought-provoking issues, including:** Is traditional psychotherapy contributing to inequity in the distribution of mental health care?** How does profit affect the practice of psychotherapy?** Who benefits from short-term therapy?** Is it possible to provide adequate and appropriate mental health services to all Americans?** Can mental health provide

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 283 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (April 12, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787902187
• ISBN-13: 978-0787902186
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,493,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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