Problem solving therapy in the clinical practice

Evidence based or empirically supported psychotherapies are becoming more and more important in the mental health fields as the users and financers of psychotherapies want to choose those methods whose effectiveness are empirically shown. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapies are shown to have empirical support in the treatment of a wide range of psychological/psychiatric problems. As a cognitive-behavioral mode of action, Problem Solving Therapy has been shown to be an effective psychotherapy approach in the treatment and/or rehabilitation of persons with depression, anxiety, suicide, schizophrenia, personality disorders, marital problems, cancer, diabetes-mellitus etc. Mental health problems cause personal suffering and constitue a burden to the national health systems. Scientific evidence show that effective problem solving skills are an important source of resiliency and individuals with psychological problems exhibit a deficiency in effective problem solving skills. Problem solving therapy approach to the treatment and/or rehabilitation of emotional problems assumes that teaching effective problem solving skills in a therapeutic relationship increases resiliency and alleviates psychological problems. The book, in the first chapters, gives information on problem solving and the role of problem-solving in the etiology and the treatment of different forms of mental health problems. In the later chapters, it concentrates on psychotherapy, assessment and procedures of problem solving therapy. At the end it provides a case study. This book integrates theory, research & practice and provides a comprehensive appreciation of problem solving therapy. It contains empirical evidence and applied focus for problem solving therapy which provides a scientific base and best practices. The book also highlights the problem solving difficulties of persons with specific disorders and provides a better understanding of the relevance of problem solving therapy to a broad range of emotional problems.

Title from publisher's Web site; (ScienceDirect; viewed on Oct. 31, 2012).

1. Definition and Concepts -- 2. Resilience, Coping, and Problem Solving -- 3. Components of Problem Solving -- 4. Theoretical Approaches to Problem Solving -- 5. Problem-Solving and Psychological Problems -- 6. Efficacy of Problem-Solving Therapy in Treating Mental Health Problems -- 7. The Practice of Problem-Solving Therapy and the Applied Patient Groups -- 8. Psychotherapy -- 9. Assessment in Problem-Solving Therapy -- 10. Processes and Sessions of Problem-Solving Therapy -- 11. An Example of a PST Application