Drug therapy versus psychotherapy

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d10001517

Previous research has investigated the use of causal knowledge on categorization and the diagnostic process (Ahn, Kim, Lassaline, & Dennis, 2000, Ahn & Kim, 2000, Ahn, Flanagan, March & Sanislow, 2006, Haslam & Ernest, 2002, Kim & Ashn, 2002a, Kim & Ahn, 2002b, Kim & Keil, 2003, Rehder, 2003, Rehder & Hastie, 2001, Rehder & S. Kim, 2006). The current study is interested in examining how causal information influences treatment choice. Both Study 1 and 2 found that when causal knowledge about a mental disorder is taught, rather than when it is unknown, treatment choice is based on what people believe is the root cause of the disorder. These findings suggest that with education about the causal pathways of mental disorders, more appropriate treatment options can be chosen.