Therapist and treatment credibility in treatment outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clients' perceptions in individual and face-to-face psychotherapies.

OBJECTIVE: No systematic review was identified investigating the influence of perceived therapist credibility on treatment outcomes. Extant treatment credibility reviews have focused on early perceptions without considering influence of various therapy phases. This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived treatment and therapist credibility and treatment outcomes, while considering the timing of the credibility assessment as a potential moderator. METHOD: Articles published in English peer-reviewed journals containing at least one quantitative measure of credibility and treatment outcome regarding face-to-face therapist-delivered interventions were eligible. PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Embase online databases were last searched on April 5th, 2023, and the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool was used to assess the study quality. Correlations between treatment credibility and outcomes, and therapist credibility were calculated separately. RESULTS: Analysis of 27 studies revealed a positive association between perceived treatment credibility and treatment outcome (r = 0.15,95%CI = 0.09,0.21,p < 0.001,n = 2061). Nine studies showed a strong association between perceived therapist credibility and outcome (r = 0.35,95%CI = 0.18,0.51;p < .001,n = 1161). No significant moderator found in both meta-analyses. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that clients' perceptions of higher credibility - whether concerning the treatment or the therapist - are associated with better therapeutic outcomes. Constraints in inclusion criteria and the small sample size in eligible studies were notable limitations.

Social Contact, Academic Satisfaction, COVID-19 Knowledge, and Subjective Well-being Among Students at Turkish Universities: a Nine-University Sample.

Adverse effects of COVID-19 are seen not only on the physical health of infected individuals but also on their subjective well-being. Sudden changes in social lives, lockdowns, and shifts towards online education have had a negative impact on many people, especially university students. As part of an international study, the current study focused on the well-being of students at Turkish universities in relation to social contact, academic satisfaction, and COVID-19 knowledge. A total of 7363 students from nine universities (86.6% from state universities, 71.04% female, and 73.52% at bachelor's level) participated in an online survey. Results revealed that females had lower levels of subjective well-being and academic satisfaction. According to a mediation model in the study, the relationship between social contact and well-being was mediated by academic satisfaction and COVID-19 knowledge. Our findings can guide future researchers, mental health professionals, universities, and policymakers to understand and improve subjective well-being of university students.

Living with schizophrenia: Perspectives of Turkish people with schizophrenia from two Patient Associations on how the illness affects their lives.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness affecting the social and occupational lives of the sufferers and posing a considerable burden on the patients and their families. Furthermore, negative societal reactions and the internalization of these attitudes exacerbate the difficulties encountered. This study examines the perspectives of Turkish people with schizophrenia on how they view the impact of the illness on their lives, the societal reactions and attitudes to schizophrenia and whether they agree with these reactions. METHODS: Twenty-three adult participants, all members of two schizophrenia associations in Ankara, capital of Turkey, were recruited. Semistructured interviews were used to find out their perspectives on how the illness affected their lives, how the society reacts to them and their views on these reactions. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematic analysis was used to capture the general and the subthemes. RESULTS: The findings suggest that causal attributions for the illness, the impact of illness on various life domains, challenges of living with the illness and finally stigmatization are general categories that capture the perspectives of the participants. CONCLUSION: People diagnosed with schizophrenia experience the impacts and burdens of their illness in various domains of their lives and negative societal reactions heighten these burdens. It seems important to consider the challenges faced by people with schizophrenia in living with their illness and the impacts of negative societal behaviors and attitudes in offering psychosocial interventions programs for supporting this group. Furthermore, combating negative societal attitudes also seems to be necessary.