Problem-Solving Treatment (PST) is a brief form of evidence-based treatment that was originally developed in Great Britain for use by medical professionals in primary care. It is also known as Problem-Solving Treatment – Primary Care (PST-PC). PST has been studied extensively in a wide range of settings and with a variety of providers and patient populations.
PST teaches and empowers patients to solve the here-and-now problems contributing to their depression and helps increase self-efficacy. It typically involves six to ten sessions, depending on the patient’s needs. The first appointment is approximately one hour long because, in addition to the first PST session, it includes an introduction to PST techniques. Subsequent appointments are 30 minutes long.
PST is not indicated as a primary treatment for: substance abuse/dependence, acute primary post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, new onset bipolar disorder, new onset psychosis.