Befriending: active placebo or effective psychotherapy?

Turkington, Douglas; Spencer, Helen; Lebert, Latoyah; Dudley, Robert · Br J Psychiatry · 2017

editorial · Level V

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Abstract

Befriending allows for control of the non-specific factors of the therapist-patient interaction in psychosocial research. Manualised befriending is at the very least an active placebo and potentially an effective intervention. Befriending now merits increased research attention to determine indications for use and to elucidate mechanisms of action.

Medical subject headings