Can People Read Self-Help Manuals for Depression? A Challenge for the Stepped Care Model and Book Prescription Schemes
- 18 December 2007
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
- Vol. 36 (1), 89-97
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s1352465807004067
Abstract
Self help approaches are increasingly being used in healthcare settings through over 100 book prescription schemes in the UK. The use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) self-help materials for depression is advocated as part of stepped care service models. This study assesses how the reading ages of the most recommended self-help books for depression compare to British literacy levels. A cross sectional survey was carried out. The most recommended self-help books for depression were identified; seven CBT based self-help books were included in this study as well as a widely used booklet for depression. Readability scores and reading ages were calculated for a randomly generated selection representing 15% of each selected book using the Readability Studio® software to generate a wide range of key readability and comprehension scores. The reading ages of the selected books were between 12.6 and 15.4. Reading ease varied amongst the texts, and their complexity (percentage of unfamiliar words, range: 14.8% – 22.6%). A significant proportion of the UK population would struggle to use some of the current CBT-based self-help books recommended. For some patient groups, non text based self-help materials as well as shorter and more easily read written materials may be more appropriate. To our knowledge, this is the first study to address this question. Publication of the reading ages of the recommended books within the book prescription schemes may allow for a more accurate match between the book and the reader.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- What makes self-help interventions effective in the management of depressive symptoms? Meta-analysis and meta-regressionPsychological Medicine, 2007
- Survival after partial lung transplants is as good as after full lung transplantsBMJ, 2003
- A cognitive–behavioural therapy assessment model for use in everyday clinical practiceAdvances in Psychiatric Treatment, 2002
- A UNITED KINGDOM SURVEY OF ACCRED ITED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPISTS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS AND USE OF STRUCTURED SELF-HELP MATERIALSBehavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 2002
- ASSESSING THE TAKE UP AND ACCEPTABILITY OF A SELF-HELP ROOM USED BY PATIENTS AWAITING THEIR INITIAL OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENTBehavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 2001
- Helpfulness of interventions for mental disorders: Beliefs of health professionals compared with the general publicThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1997
- Bibliotherapy in unipolar depression: A meta-analysisJournal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 1997
- Readability formulas: Cautions and criteriaPatient Education and Counseling, 1991
- Influences of the Text and the Reader's Background Knowledge Upon Responses to Comprehension QuestionsLiteracy, 1987
- ReadabilityThe Physics Teacher, 1979