Just how good are different psychotherapies for common mental health problems?

At least 1 in 8 people suffer from a mental disorder worldwide (WHO, 2022). Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common difficulties (Global Health Data, 2022), with the prevalence rates of other disorders – such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) also challengingly high.

The UK’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommends psychotherapies as evidence-based, first-line interventions for many of these conditions (Leicsenrin et al, 2022). The most common psychotherapies offered include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement…