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Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice in College Mental Health
by John Casquarelli
Stewart E. Cooper, PhD, ABPP, and Professor of Psychology at Valparaiso University, has collected a series of articles for his book Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice In College Mental Health from a number of well respected mental health professionals, who have studied EBP in college counseling centers throughout the United States.
Early in his book, Dr. Cooper examines both the pros and cons with regard to evidence-based treatment relative to the mental health of college students, sharing with the reader an understanding of the problems facing therapists in the university environment. The topics that the contributors of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice In College Mental Health discuss range from alcohol dependency and depression, to anxiety and eating disorders.
The second chapter by Ian T. Birky, PhD, provides an overview on alcohol interventions conducted on college campuses. Dr. Birky compares specific practices and studies to the generalized meta-based studies, calling for a far more conscientious evaluation of alcohol dependency specific to the college environment. He argues for quality over quantity with regard to EBP, claiming that there is strong evidence to support that an increase in treatments does not necessarily equate to treatment gains. Furthermore, Dr. Birky suggests that most students that receive counseling are mandated, and do not have an abuse or dependency problem, which may provide major concerns for clinical practice and future investigations.
The article by Carolyn L. Lee, PhD, focuses on depression among college students, and examines both cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal approaches to alleviating their depression. Dr. Lee asserts that depressive disorders may be the most common psychological disorder facing college students today, and that special consideration pertaining to efficacious ways to treat depression should be reviewed.
Thomas Baez, PhD, presents an article on anxiety disorders both among the general population and the college student population, as well as discussing therapist/relationship factors. In addition, Dr. Baez superbly explains five categories that may be beneficial for planning and organizing college mental health settings, which include developing a vision/plan for EBP anxiety reduction research, and various training techniques specific to staff/intern development. The most frequent of all mental illnesses in the United States among the general public are anxiety disorders, which is another reason to accentuate the correlation between the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process.
In chapter five of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice In College Mental Health, Jaquelyn Liss Resnick, PhD, discusses various eating disorders among the college student population, and the problems associated with adapting evidence-based practice to the university mental health environment. She also believes that multicultural considerations have yet to be sufficiently addressed, and that a closer alliance is necessary between practitioners and scientists.
In the book’s final chapter, Dr. Cooper summarizes the common concerns of applying evidence-based psychotherapy to college counseling center practice, such as the uniqueness of the university context that is strongly influenced by semester schedules, and an over-focus of EBP research on specific interventions when treating particular disorders.
With Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice In College Mental Health, Dr. Cooper has put together a valuable tool for mental health practitioners focusing on the care of college students. This book is a wonderful guide for counseling centers and individuals interested in furthering both research and development of EBPs within the university setting.
Stewart E. Cooper, PhD, ABPP, Counseling/Research Methodology, Indiana University, has served as Director of the Counseling Services for the past seventeen years and is Professor of Psychology at Valparaiso University.
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