Evidence-based psychology

What ‘evidence based’ means

The formal definition is “the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture and preferences” (APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence Based Practice, 2006).

In practice it means The Thrive Programme was developed from the research into mental health, resilience and wellbeing, and continues to be revised as new studies appear. Each time something is published we compare it against the earlier work and against our own findings, and refine the programme accordingly.

Our own research

We have run two studies into how well the programme works, and we are committed to continuing. Alongside those sit thousands of people’s feedback after going through it — a large body of qualitative evidence that shapes how the programme is written and where it needs to be clearer.

The survey figures are set out on the science page and in the book.

An example: your sense of control

Decades of studies show that building and keeping an internal locus of control — a strong sense that what happens to you is largely down to you — has a marked effect on health, confidence and wellbeing (Mirowsky & Ross, 1990; Cloitre et al., 1992; Abouserie, 1994; Gale, Batty & Deary, 2008). Increasing somebody’s perceived control significantly predicts recovery from a range of anxiety disorders (Gallagher, Naragon-Gainey & Brown, 2014).

That is why understanding your own sense of control sits at the centre of the programme, with structured exercises to build it. There is a whole page on desire for control and locus of control if you want the detail.

References

• APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (2006). Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology. American Psychologist, 61(4), 271–285.
• Mirowsky, J. & Ross, C. E. (1990). Control or defense? Depression and the sense of control over good and bad outcomes. J. Health Soc. Behav., 71–86.
• Cloitre, M., Heimberg, R. G., Liebowitz, M. R. & Gitow, A. (1992). Perceptions of control in panic disorder and social phobia. Cogn. Ther. Res., 16, 569–577.
• Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and levels of stress in relation to locus of control and self-esteem in university students. Educ. Psychol., 14, 323–330.
• Gale, C. R., Batty, G. D. & Deary, I. J. (2008). Locus of control at age 10 years and health outcomes and behaviors at age 30 years: the 1970 British Cohort Study. Psychosom. Med., 70, 397–403.
• Gallagher, M. W., Naragon-Gainey, K. & Brown, T. A. (2014). Perceived control is a transdiagnostic predictor of cognitive-behavior therapy outcome for anxiety disorders. Cognitive Therapy & Research, 38, 10–22.