What is the best way to analyse mental health treatments?

Many of us have received treatments for our mental health. These can range from a drug, to talking therapy and, at the extreme end, to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). But how often do we think about why we're getting that treatment and what the evidence behind it is?

In our latest episode, in partnership with the British Journal of Psychiatry, we look at the pros and cons of the randomised controlled trial - the accepted gold standard for health research for a long time. We also discuss realist approaches - what they are and how they could help us.

We're joined on this episode by Derek Tracy (psychiatrist in South London and Kings College Hospital, and sits on the Editorial Board of the British Journal of Psychiatry), Victoria Zamperoni (Senior Research Officer at the Mental Health Foundation), Josefien Breedvelt (Research Manager at the Mental Health Foundation), and one of the authors of the paper we are discussing, David Crepaz-Keay, who is also Head of Empowerment and Social Inclusion at the Mental Health Foundation.

We also discuss what's been in the news in mental health recently, including student mental health and children's mental health in crisis.