Things to look for in "Controversial" Therapies
Each year a number of different ‘therapies’ emerge for treatment of a variety of difficulties, from stress through seizures, autism, and attention deficits. The wise consumer should investigate any prospective therapy very carefully before trying it.
If a therapy is indeed ‘Controversial’ and, therefore, of questionable value and validity, it will typically have the following characteristics:
- lack of support of scientific studies in journals that are reviewed and edited by recognized and respected experts in the area
- offered as an explanation and ‘sure’ for not just one difficulty but a broad range of problems
- said to have a few or no side effects
- based on outmoded theories of behavior
- offer testimonials rather than scientific evidence as proof of effectiveness
- may imply that a conspiracy exists to suppress the treatment as a reason why everyone is not pursuing it
- theories upon which the therapy is based are pulled together from unrelated observations from different fields
- not reviewed or modified in response to outcomes or criticism
- adapted from R.A. Barkley, “Pseudoscience in treatments for ADHD.”, The ADHA