Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Sep 8;9(9):e104077.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104077. eCollection 2014.

Practitioner perspectives on strategies to promote longer-term benefits of acupuncture or counselling for depression: a qualitative study

Hugh MacPherson  1 , Liz Newbronner  2 , Ruth Chamberlain  3 , Stewart J Richmond  1 , Harriet Lansdown  1 , Sara Perren  1 , Ann Hopton  1 , Karen Spilsbury  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Practitioner perspectives on strategies to promote longer-term benefits of acupuncture or counselling for depression: a qualitative study

Hugh MacPherson et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Non-pharmacological interventions for depression may help patients manage their condition. Evidence from a recent large-scale trial (ACUDep) suggests that acupuncture and counselling can provide longer-term benefits for many patients with depression. This paper describes the strategies practitioners reported using to promote longer-term benefits for their patients.

Methods: A qualitative sub-study of practitioners (acupuncturists and counsellors) embedded in a randomised controlled trial. Using topic guides, data was collected from telephone interviews and a focus group, altogether involving 19 counsellors and 17 acupuncturists. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic content analysis.

Results: For longer-term impact, both acupuncturists and counsellors encouraged insight into root causes of depression on an individual basis and saw small incremental changes as precursors to sustained benefit. Acupuncturists stressed the importance of addressing concurrent physical symptoms, for example helping patients relax or sleep better in order to be more receptive to change, and highlighted the importance of Chinese medicine theory-based lifestyle change for lasting benefit. Counsellors more often highlighted the importance of the therapeutic relationship, emphasising the need for careful "pacing" such that the process and tools employed were tailored and timed for each individual, depending on the "readiness" to change. Our data is limited to acupuncture practitioners using the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, and counsellors using a humanistic, non-directive and person-centred approach.

Conclusions: Long-term change appears to be an important focus within the practices of both acupuncturists and counsellors. To achieve this, practitioners stressed the need for an individualised approach with a focus on root causes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: Liz Newbronner and Ruth Chamberlain worked for Firefly Research & Evaluation and were commissioned by the Department of Health Sciences, University of York, to conduct the interviews and work with the authors to analyse the data and prepare this manuscript. This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

References

    1. Parker G (2009) Antidepressants on trial: how valid is the evidence? Br J Psychiatry: 1–3. - PubMed
    1. Kirsch I, Deacon BJ, Huedo-Medina TB, Scoboria A, Moore TJ, et al. (2008) Initial severity and antidepressant benefits: a meta-analysis of data submitted to the Food and Drug Administration. PLoS Med 5: e45. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mind (2002) My Choice: A Survey. Available: ++++++++++++++++http://www.mind.org.uk/News+policy+and+campaigns/Press+archive/Mind+laun.... Accessed 13 January 2008.
    1. MacPherson H, Richmond S, Bland M, Brealey S, Gabe R, et al. (2013) Acupuncture and Counselling for Depression in Primary Care: A Randomised Controlled Trial. PLoS Medicine 10: e1001518 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001518 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centre for Outcomes Research & Effectiveness (CORE) (n.d.) Humanistic Psychological Therapies Competences Framework. Available: #http://www.ucl.ac.uk/clinical-psychology/CORE/humanistic_framework.htm#. Accessed 30 September 2013.

Publication types