VOCÊ NÃO AJUDOU O PACIENTE: Um recurso teórico sobre vieses confundidores

The discussion about the effectiveness of psychological approaches has been a central issue for nearly a century. This article provides a theoretical resource aimed at simplifying complex concepts, with the goal of pedagogically supporting clinical psychologists and psychology students regarding the validity of their daily practices and studies. By exploring key confounding biases, the work conceptualizes elements inherent in all clinical practice that may better explain patient outcomes in psychotherapy than the therapeutic approach itself, eliminating common and erroneous inferences about the therapist's skill and the clinical approach's ability to modify outcomes for which it may be ineffective. The article reinforces the principle "Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur," emphasizing the importance of a rigorous, evidence-based approach to ensure that clinical interventions provide genuine and measurable benefits. It concludes that the appropriate design to assess the effects of psychological interventions, not unlike other areas of health sciences, is randomized clinical trials, a model that, if well employed, can control for the effects discussed in this work and identify the true potential of a therapeutic intervention.