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From: cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer)
Newsgroups: net.sci,net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Value of therapy
Message-ID: <675@kontron.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 31-Mar-86 21:01:12 EST
Article-I.D.: kontron.675
Posted: Mon Mar 31 21:01:12 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Apr-86 11:26:18 EST
References: <617@kontron.UUCP> <560@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: Kontron Electronics, Mt. View, CA
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Xref: watmath net.sci:697 net.philosophy:4905

> In article <617@kontron.UUCP> cramer@kontron.UUCP writes:
> 
> [With regard to the performance of psychotherapy]
> 
> >  I've read that the spontaneous cure rate for schizophrenia is
> >33%.  The psychoanalytic cure rate is 35%.  Big improvement.
> 
> It's been known for some time now that therapy is of little use in the
> treatment of schitzophrenia.  THere are numerous other signs, including its
> responsiveness to drug treatment, which suggest that it represents a
> neurochemical problem.
> 
> Even so, the conclusions that can be drawn from this are quite limited in
> scope.  Using this to cast aspersions upon psychotherapy is an error of a
> type we commonly see in n.philo, an error in generalization.  In this case,
> there is little reason to presume that all psychological disturbances are
> similar both in nature and in cause.
> 
> C. Wingate

Actually, I wasn't casting an aspersion on psychotherapy for treating
all forms of disturbance and mental illness.  I was following up on someone
else's comments that were somewhat more negative and all encompassing
than mine.  I was adding data to the discussion, not necessarily taking
sides.  (Although I doubt the value of psychotherapy in treating psychoses 
like schizophrenia.)