Do Self-Help Books for Psychological Problems Actually Help?

Abstract

If you start experiencing a psychological problem like depression or marital discord, you might think about reading a self-help book specific to your problem. There are a wide range of books from which to choose. 'The Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Materials in Mental Health' by Norcross and colleagues (2003) groups hundreds of self-help books by problem (eg, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and gives a summary and rating for each. Some self-help bestsellers of recent years include David Burns' 'Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy' (1999) and John Gray's 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus: a Practical Guide to Improving Communication and Getting What You Want Out of a Relationship' (1992).