Sick And Tired Of Depression? Here’s The Most Cost Effective Strategy

The review done by Crane et al. presents various sections that constitute a well-organized research work. The first section, “Relationship Factors and Depression,” enumerates the effects of depression in various relationships like “Couple Relationships” and “Children and Depression,” which also serve as good subheadings to the main section. The problem with this first section is that two other subheadings – “Effectiveness of Depression Treatment” and “Cost-Effectiveness of Family Therapy” – follow the first two, which may somehow confuse the reader because these two last subheadings are actually not of the same level as the first two as they simply narrate the need for these two factors. In fact, a third subheading, “Research Questions,” is also out of place but it does outline the six goals of the study (Crane et al., 2012).

The Methods section provides a detailed procedure of how data was collected in the research study, from 2001 to 2004, from Cigna, and the qualified cases had their patients diagnosed for depression, whose identity is confirmed through DSM-IV-TR. Moreover, cost-effectiveness was measured using comparison between the performance of a particular treatment in avoiding recidivism, and the cost of treatment (Crane et al., 2012).

The next section, Analysis and Results, was carefully presented with each subheading effectively labeled as to which of the 6 research questions is already being discussed. The most important Research Questions are Question Five and Question Six. Question Five is “What is the cost-effectiveness of therapy by mental health professional?” and then presents data as to the fees of professionals most likely engaged in Family Counseling. Question Six is equally significant: “What is the cost-effectiveness of family therapy compared to individual and mixed therapies?” (Crane et al., 2012).

The Discussion sums it all up in an interpretation of the results of data for each of the 6 Research Questions. However, based on the answer to Question Five, counselor services are the most cost-effective, and based on the answers to Question Six, family therapy is the most cost-effective mode. Overall, counselor services and family therapy for the individual may be the best way he could successfully deal with his depression. The study presents this in a very organized way while humbly admitting its limitations as well directions for future research.

References

Crane, D. R., Christenson, J. D., Dobbs, S. M. & Marshal, E. S. (2012). “Costs of Treating Depression with Individual Versus Family Therapy.” The Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, doi: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00326.x.