Loading...
Numerous studies have shown that publication bias, where negative results are unpublished, and outcome reporting bias, where equivocal findings are “spun” positively, have led to overestimation of the efficacy of antidepressants (e.g., NEJM JW Gen Med Jan 29 2008; [e-pub] and N Engl J Med 2008; 358:252). In another analysis of publication bias, researchers have now examined the possibility of overestimated effects in NIH-funded studies on psychotherapy used to treat major depression in adults (funding years, 1972–2008).
The authors obtained data from 11 studies that did not publish their results in addition to the 42 with published articles. Regarding studies that compared psychotherapy with control conditions (e.g., treatment as usual, plac…