A Systematic Review on the Efficacy of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Depression

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON THE
EFFICACY OF FUNCTIONAL
ANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
(FAP), FOR THE TREATMENT OF
DEPRESSION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Literature Review...................................................................................................................3
PRISMA Flowchart................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
The various quantitative studies has been reviewed in order to find out the effectiveness of
Functional Analytical Psychotherapy in treatment of depression. The following studies has will
help in identifying that does psychotherapy is useful for treating patient suffering from
depression or not.
MAIN BODY
Literature Review
Luc Vandenberge and Umbelina do Rego Leite (2018), has conducted a research in order to
find out that whether functional analytical therapy is useful in treatment of depression or not. The
effectiveness of treatment has been evaluated by the pre post treatment of beck depression
inventory. Jacobson and Truax method has also been used in order to verify relaiblity and the
clinical influence of client's improvement. As a result it was found that seventeen depressed
participants has entered in non clinical range while in twelve clients the improvement is both
clinical and reliable. While fifteen participants has maintained gains by taking part in follow up
process. However the research has suggested that this method is good in the treatment of person
suffering from depressive symptoms and moods.
As per the result which has been found with a help of ANOVA it can be seen that FAP
( Functional analytic psychotherapy) is helpful in treatment of person suffering from depression.
As result states that 59.25 per cent depression level was reduced in people after moderate
depression pre treatment to moderate level pre treatment. A patient who was provide with FAP
has also shown a decrease in BDI score from 18 to 5.
According to the study which was conducted by Daniel W. M. Maitland and Scott T.
Gaynor (2016), which holds the hypothesis that functional analytic psychotherapy is based on
belief that because of the reason that therapeutic relationship is interpersonal one the FAP also
share functional similarities with other relations. As per the author belief when client responds
problematically during the therapy session then therapist can immediate response to contingent
consequences. Authors holds the view that FAP session has been made to produce effective and
intensive therapy session and it relates therapeutic relationship which are meaningful. In order to
test this hypothesis 13 participants are taken. FAP treatment as well as SL are high in interaction
with clients. However the result of study favoured SL which is supportive listening treatment. It
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was found that contingent responding contributes more to stronger therapeutic alliances and
engaging sessions. As a result it was found therapeutic alliance can be used as a proxy for FAP.
The result which has been found shows that FAP is however useful therapy for treatment
of depression but as per the study which has been discussed above FAP is effective method of
treatment of depression but therapeutic and supportive listening can be used in absence or as a
other effective option for treatment.
Daniel W.M. Maitland (2015), has conduct a study on efficacy of FAP as its efficacy has
not yet been shown in any population by randomized controlled trials. Therefore author aims at
conducting study on this topic. In order to carry research twenty three college students were
selected by using computer system, Those students has been selected who have scored 1 SD
(Standard deviation) below norm of fear of intimacy scale and who have met diagnostic criteria
by independent assessment for generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, dependent
personality disorder. These disorders were treated either with FAP or with Watchful waiting
condition in order to increase social relation and decrease psychological distress by these
treatments. As a result it was found that FAP intervention is quite beneficial in order to increase
interpersonal relating and decreasing psychological distress.
The result which was found has shows that test group at 16 week post intervention
represent a significant research in BDI score. It was observed that moderately depressed patient
has became mildly depressed patient in treatment group. From the above study and the result
which has been obtained it can be said that FAP is a useful treatment for patient suffering with
anxiety disorder or depression.
As per the view of Singh & O’Brien (2017), nursing homes are the critical centre where the
treatment and care given to patients can be studied and interpreted in order to form relevant
conclusions. In this review, the author has implemented Functional Analytic Psychotherapy
(FAP) which is also used as a nursing intervention in nursing homes.
The author studied implementation of FAP in three different nursing homes where there was
a classification in two different phases i.e. 2-week baseline phase and 4-week FAP treatment
phase. Residents completed the entire treatment and their behaviour was recorded in every
session who were then categorized into maladaptive and adaptive behaviours.
It was observed by the author that in all the three nursing homes, there was a significant
difference in the residents of these nursing homes. Over the period of FAP treatment, number of
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