Do psychosocial treatment outcomes vary by race or ethnicity? A review of meta-analyses

The past two decades have seen an increase in the number of psychotherapy clinical trials that were adequately powered to compare clinical outcomes across different racial and ethnic groups. Reviews have concluded that outcomes are generally equivalent, though there is still widespread skepticism of how these therapies perform in diverse populations. The current study reviewed 23 meta-analyses that considered race/ethnicity as a predictor of treatment outcome in psychotherapies across a range of psychiatric disorders. In general, these reviews did not find differences in outcomes between ethnic/racial minorities relative to White participants. Cumulative evi-dence of no race/ethnic differences in reported outcomes was strong for some disorders (e.g., depression, PTSD), though data were lacking or insufficient for other mental health conditions (e.g., borderline personality disorder, eating disorders). We also identified several gaps in the literature that provide directions for future research to better understand racial-ethnic differences in psychotherapy outcomes.

Automated summary

The study reviewed 23 meta-analyses on the impact of race/ethnicity on psychotherapy outcomes, finding generally equivalent results between ethnic/racial minorities and White participants. While some disorders showed no differences in outcomes, such as depression and PTSD, data on other mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder and eating disorders were lacking. The review identified gaps in the literature for future research to better understand racial-ethnic differences in psychotherapy outcomes.