A meta-analysis of 409 trials found psychotherapy reduces depression symptoms with a large effect size. Exposure therapy for PTSD produced a 1.23 standard deviation symptom reduction across 41 controlled studies.
Key Takeaways
- A meta-analysis of 41 RCTs showed exposure therapy reduces PTSD symptoms by 1.23 standard deviations (g=1.23) post-treatment
- Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) achieved 50% loss of PTSD diagnosis in 75% of completers in VA study of 268 veterans
- Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy led to 67% response rate in 903 civilians with PTSD (CAPS score drop >30%)
- A 2020 meta-analysis of 409 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found that psychotherapy for adult depression has a large effect size of g=0.76 at post-treatment compared to control conditions
- In a network meta-analysis of 198 trials involving 15,215 participants, individual CBT ranked highest for response rates in depression treatment with 52% response rate versus 28% for usual care
- The STAR*D trial showed that 28% of patients with major depressive disorder achieved remission after first-line citalopram, but switching to CBT increased remission to 31% in level 2
- A meta-analysis of 186 studies found psychotherapy for schizophrenia reduces relapse by 20% (RR=0.80)
- Family intervention therapy for psychosis lowered hospitalization by 30% over 2 years
- CBT for psychosis reduced positive symptoms by 0.45 SMD in 34 RCTs
- A 2019 meta-analysis of 28 RCTs found trauma-focused CBT reduces PTSD symptoms with Hedges' g=1.50, superior to non-trauma therapies
- EMDR therapy achieved 77% remission of PTSD diagnosis in single-trauma patients after 3 sessions (n=46)
- CPT in active-duty military showed 60% no longer met PTSD criteria versus 39% present-centered therapy
- Meta-analysis of 53 RCTs showed motivational interviewing increases treatment engagement by 30% (OR=1.31) for SUD
- Contingency management (CM) for cocaine dependence achieved 60% abstinence weeks versus 40% controls in 66 trials
- 12-step facilitation therapy had 25% abstinence at 1-year similar to CBT in Project MATCH (n=1,726)
Across many randomized trials, psychotherapy consistently reduces symptoms and boosts remission rates across disorders.
Related reading
01 · Category
Anxiety Disorders27 stats
01
A meta-analysis of 41 RCTs showed exposure therapy reduces PTSD symptoms by 1.23 standard deviations (g=1.23) post-treatment
02
Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) achieved 50% loss of PTSD diagnosis in 75% of completers in VA study of 268 veterans
03
Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy led to 67% response rate in 903 civilians with PTSD (CAPS score drop >30%)
04
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) had equivalent efficacy to trauma-focused CBT (g=1.08 vs 1.02) in 26 RCTs
05
Panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy reduced panic disorder symptoms by 60% in 49 patients (PDSS score)
06
Internet-based CBT for panic disorder showed 70% remission rate in meta-analysis of 17 trials
07
Applied relaxation training achieved 65% reduction in GAD symptoms (ES=0.92) in 24 studies
08
Group CBT for social anxiety disorder had 51% response rate versus 5% waitlist in 1084 patients
09
Meta-analysis of 101 studies found CBT superior for OCD with g=1.44 over control conditions
10
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD yielded 70% symptom reduction in children (CY-BOCS drop 50%)
11
ACT for anxiety disorders showed g=0.82 across 36 RCTs, noninferior to CBT
12
Psychodynamic therapy for GAD reduced symptoms by 45% (SMD=-0.71) in 14 trials
13
Virtual reality exposure therapy for phobias had 68% remission rate in meta-analysis of 13 RCTs
14
Bibliotherapy CBT for anxiety achieved g=0.76 in 30 studies with 2,000+ participants
15
Interpersonal therapy for social anxiety showed 42% response versus 12% control in RCT
16
Mindfulness therapy reduced anxiety by 0.63 SMD in workplace settings (22 trials)
17
Family-based CBT for pediatric anxiety achieved 60% remission in 488 children
18
Transcranial magnetic stimulation plus CBT boosted anxiety remission by 25% (OR=1.25)
19
Supportive-expressive therapy for anxiety had sustained effects at 1-year (g=0.55)
20
Hypnotherapy for anxiety disorders showed 58% improvement rate in 13 studies meta-analysis
21
Unified protocol for transdiagnostic anxiety treatment had 57% response in 223 patients
22
Animal-assisted therapy reduced anxiety scores by 24% in hospital patients
23
Music therapy for anxiety in surgery patients lowered scores by 30% pre-op (SMD=-0.68)
24
Meta-analysis of 59 RCTs on yoga therapy showed anxiety reduction g=0.55
25
Narrative exposure therapy (NET) for anxiety in refugees had 62% remission
26
DBT for anxiety comorbidities reduced symptoms by 40% in BPD patients
27
Meta-analysis of prolonged exposure for social anxiety showed g=1.10 in 13 trials
Interpretation
Anxiety Disorders Interpretation
It seems the secret to taming anxiety isn't a magic bullet, but rather a well-stocked toolbox where everything from talking it out to petting a dog proves that while our fears are sophisticated, our solutions can be brilliantly varied.
02 · Category
Depression Therapy30 stats
01
A 2020 meta-analysis of 409 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found that psychotherapy for adult depression has a large effect size of g=0.76 at post-treatment compared to control conditions
02
In a network meta-analysis of 198 trials involving 15,215 participants, individual CBT ranked highest for response rates in depression treatment with 52% response rate versus 28% for usual care
03
The STAR*D trial showed that 28% of patients with major depressive disorder achieved remission after first-line citalopram, but switching to CBT increased remission to 31% in level 2
04
A Cochrane review of 492 studies reported that antidepressants plus psychotherapy yield a 12-18% higher remission rate than antidepressants alone for moderate-severe depression
05
Long-term follow-up of the Dutch Depression Trial indicated that 57% of CBT patients maintained response at 5 years versus 40% for care-as-usual
06
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) reduced relapse rates by 43% over 12 months in patients with recurrent depression (31% vs 46% for controls)
07
Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) achieved 52% response rate in a meta-analysis of 38 trials for depression, superior to waitlist (d=1.68)
08
Behavioral activation therapy showed equivalent efficacy to CBT with 51% remission rate in 241 patients with depression over 16 weeks
09
A 2018 meta-analysis of 115 studies found psychotherapy dropout rates for depression at 19.8%, lower than pharmacotherapy's 26.2%
10
Group CBT for depression had a pooled effect size of g=0.69 in 55 RCTs, comparable to individual CBT
11
Internet-delivered CBT for depression yielded Hedges' g=0.78 in a meta-analysis of 36 trials with 4,963 participants
12
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy reduced depression symptoms by 40% in long-term follow-up of 129 patients versus 28% for controls
13
Collaborative care models integrating therapy increased depression remission by 20% over usual care in primary care settings (OR=1.62)
14
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills training reduced depressive symptoms by 35% in adolescents with 75% retention
15
Exercise as adjunct to therapy boosted remission rates by 15% in depression trials (RR=1.17)
16
Brief psychodynamic therapy achieved 50% symptom reduction in 8-week trials for depression (ES=1.02)
17
Family-focused therapy for bipolar depression showed 65% recovery rate versus 52% for individual therapy
18
Schema therapy for chronic depression had 52% recovery rate at 3-year follow-up in RCT
19
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for depression showed g=0.82 in 20 RCTs meta-analysis
20
Problem-solving therapy reduced depression by 45% in older adults (SMD=-0.72)
21
Couples therapy for depression improved outcomes by 25% over individual CBT (OR=1.25)
22
Light therapy combined with CBT increased remission to 67% versus 45% CBT alone in seasonal depression
23
Neural correlates study showed CBT normalizes amygdala activity in 71% of depression remitters
24
Stepped-care CBT models achieved 60% remission in community depression treatment
25
Psychodynamic therapy effect size g=0.69 for depression, sustained at 1-year follow-up
26
MBCT reduced healthcare costs by 30% due to fewer relapses in depression
27
Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) remission rate 71% in 6 sessions for depression
28
Transdiagnostic CBT for depression and anxiety comorbidities had 55% response rate
29
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy showed 70% response in treatment-resistant depression
30
Meta-analysis of 25 RCTs found psychotherapy superior to placebo for dysthymia (g=0.89)
Interpretation
Depression Therapy Interpretation
While the numbers show that therapy is far from a magic wand, they do confirm it's a remarkably sturdy ladder out of depression's hole, with CBT often being the top rung, talk therapy consistently beating pills alone, and the real prize being the long-term footing it provides to keep you from falling back in.
03 · Category
Other Conditions25 stats
01
A meta-analysis of 186 studies found psychotherapy for schizophrenia reduces relapse by 20% (RR=0.80)
02
Family intervention therapy for psychosis lowered hospitalization by 30% over 2 years
03
CBT for psychosis reduced positive symptoms by 0.45 SMD in 34 RCTs
04
Dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder achieved 50% self-harm reduction
05
Schema therapy for eating disorders had 52% full remission at 3 years
06
Family-based treatment (Maudsley) for anorexia nervosa 60% weight restoration in adolescents
07
Exposure therapy for body dysmorphic disorder reduced symptoms by 55% (Y-BOCS)
08
MBCT for bipolar disorder reduced depression relapse by 44%
09
Psychoeducation for bipolar improved adherence by 25% (OR=1.25)
10
Mentalization-based treatment (MBT) for BPD reduced suicide attempts by 40%
11
Play therapy for childhood conduct disorder reduced symptoms by 0.78 ES
12
Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) improved compliance by 65% in disruptive children
13
Multisystemic therapy for juvenile offenders reduced recidivism by 25-70%
14
ACT for chronic pain reduced pain interference by 30% (g=0.41)
15
Group schema therapy for personality disorders had 57% recovery rate
16
EMDR for phantom limb pain reduced pain by 50% in amputees
17
Cognitive therapy for insomnia achieved 70% remission in meta-analysis of 20 RCTs
18
Interpersonal therapy for bulimia nervosa 50% abstinence from bingeing
19
Functional family therapy reduced antisocial behavior by 40% in youth
20
Compassion-focused therapy for shame reduced symptoms by 35%
21
Online therapy for OCD in youth 55% response rate
22
Art therapy for dementia reduced agitation by 28%
23
Reality therapy for school behavior issues improved attendance by 20%
24
Hypnotherapy for IBS reduced symptoms by 53% (SMD=-1.03)
25
Biofeedback therapy for ADHD improved attention in 75% of children
Interpretation
Other Conditions Interpretation
While each of these interventions carves out a meaningful dent in human suffering—from cutting relapse rates in schizophrenia by a fifth to helping half of those with eating disorders find full remission—the collective data speaks in a refreshingly non-theoretical dialect, essentially translating to: "See? Talking and tailored strategies actually work, often dramatically, so maybe we should fund and value them like the legitimate, life-altering medicine they are."
More related reading
04 · Category
PTSD and Trauma26 stats
01
A 2019 meta-analysis of 28 RCTs found trauma-focused CBT reduces PTSD symptoms with Hedges' g=1.50, superior to non-trauma therapies
02
EMDR therapy achieved 77% remission of PTSD diagnosis in single-trauma patients after 3 sessions (n=46)
03
CPT in active-duty military showed 60% no longer met PTSD criteria versus 39% present-centered therapy
04
Narrative exposure therapy reduced PTSD symptoms by 1.5 ES in refugees (28 studies)
05
Written exposure therapy (WET) had 66.5% response rate versus 51.6% for PE in VA RCT of 926 veterans
06
Skills training in affective and interpersonal regulation (STAIR) improved PTSD by 45% pre-trauma symptoms
07
Concurrent treatment of PTSD and substance use with integrated CBT showed 52% abstinence and 64% PTSD improvement
08
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD achieved 67% had no PTSD diagnosis at 12 weeks (n=90)
09
Present-centered therapy for PTSD had g=1.11 effect size in 12 RCTs meta-analysis
10
Interpersonal psychotherapy adapted for PTSD reduced symptoms by 0.84 SMD in women
11
Virtual reality exposure for combat PTSD showed 15-point CAPS drop in 20 sessions
12
Hypnotherapy for PTSD symptom reduction g=1.20 in 6 controlled trials
13
Somatic experiencing therapy reduced PTSD scores by 49% in RCT of 63 participants
14
Group-based trauma processing therapy had 58% remission in sexual assault survivors
15
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) lowered PTSD symptoms by 30% (g=0.55) in veterans
16
Family therapy for PTSD in youth achieved 55% symptom reduction
17
Art therapy for trauma survivors showed 40% PTSD score decrease in meta-analysis
18
Equine-assisted therapy reduced PTSD by 35% in adolescents
19
Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD improved relationship satisfaction by 25% alongside 50% symptom drop
20
Prolonged exposure for childhood trauma in adults had 62% response rate
21
Psychodynamic therapy for complex PTSD showed sustained gains at 2 years (g=0.78)
22
Yoga therapy adjunct to PE increased PTSD remission by 20% (OR=1.20)
23
Intensive outpatient trauma therapy programs achieved 70% improvement in 2 weeks
24
Imagery rescripting for PTSD nightmares reduced frequency by 60%
25
Meta-analysis of 37 studies on written exposure for PTSD showed g=1.45
26
A Cochrane review of 62 studies found CBT halves PTSD symptoms (RR=0.54 for remission)
Interpretation
PTSD and Trauma Interpretation
While various therapies all hold a candle against PTSD's darkness, the evidence suggests it's not merely about light but about using the right tool—whether that's rigorously confronting the memory, re-writing the narrative, or carefully integrating mind and body—to finally blow the damn thing out.
05 · Category
Substance Use Disorders25 stats
01
Meta-analysis of 53 RCTs showed motivational interviewing increases treatment engagement by 30% (OR=1.31) for SUD
02
Contingency management (CM) for cocaine dependence achieved 60% abstinence weeks versus 40% controls in 66 trials
03
12-step facilitation therapy had 25% abstinence at 1-year similar to CBT in Project MATCH (n=1,726)
04
Relapse prevention therapy reduced alcohol relapse by 22% (RR=0.78) in 24 studies
05
Matrix model for methamphetamine dependence showed 70% negative toxicology in treatment phase
06
Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) doubled alcohol abstinence rates (OR=2.0) versus individual therapy
07
Community reinforcement approach (CRA) achieved 69% abstinence at 6 months for alcohol use disorder
08
Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) reduced days of use by 36% post-treatment
09
Dialectical behavior therapy for substance use in BPD reduced use by 50% (n=28)
10
Cognitive bias modification reduced craving by 25% in alcohol trials (g=0.45)
11
Family behavior therapy for adolescent SUD had 65% abstinence at 12 months
12
Integrated group therapy for co-occurring bipolar and SUD improved abstinence by 40%
13
Seeking safety model for PTSD-SUD reduced substance use by 30% and PTSD by 35%
14
Psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin showed 80% reduction in alcohol dependence
15
Brief strategic family therapy reduced adolescent drug use by 50% days
16
Acceptance and commitment therapy for SUD had g=0.56 for abstinence in 26 RCTs
17
Therapeutic community programs achieved 50% retention and 35% 1-year abstinence
18
Neurofeedback training reduced opioid cravings by 44% in RCT
19
Multidimensional family therapy for cannabis youth had 34% abstinence vs 11% control
20
Exercise therapy adjunct reduced SUD relapse by 15% (RR=0.85)
21
Online CBT for gambling disorder showed 70% reduction in days gambled
22
Schema therapy for SUD personality disorders had 60% remission
23
Vivitrol (naltrexone) with therapy increased opioid abstinence to 55%
24
Music therapy for SUD reduced cravings by 28% in meta-analysis
25
Peer support groups like SMART Recovery matched AA in 40% abstinence rates
Interpretation
Substance Use Disorders Interpretation
While the evidence clearly shows there is no single magic wand for addiction—with motivational interviewing boosting engagement, contingency management tripling cocaine abstinence, and behavioral couples therapy doubling alcohol sobriety—the real magic is in matching the right wand to the wizard.
Reference
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Therapy Effectiveness Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/therapy-effectiveness-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Therapy Effectiveness Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/therapy-effectiveness-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Therapy Effectiveness Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/therapy-effectiveness-statistics.
Sources & references
3 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level