Frequently Asked Questions
The first stage of the revision of the Matrix is to update the existing tables. It is recognised that there are psychological constructs, occurring across diagnoses, and often called ‘psychological mechanisms’. Examples include perfectionism, intolerance of uncertainty and emotional regulation. It is hoped that these will be introduced as topics in a future phase of development.
- The topics in the Matrix are comprehensive but do not cover all areas of practice and prioritise recommendation of psychological interventions that have sufficient scientific evidence to allow reliable conclusions on the likely effectiveness and safety, with the aim of improving access to high quality care options in Scotland.
- There are other reasons why there may be a gap between practice and the interventions outlined, such as using novel or emerging approaches that do not yet have sufficient evidence to be included in the evidence tables or working in an area where the practice is not covered by the Matrix guidance. Where practitioners are delivering therapies and interventions that are not included in the Matrix, it is recommended that there are robust local governance arrangements including supervision arrangements, routine outcome monitoring and all opportunities to contribute to developing the future scientific evidence are taken.
- There are also interventions that are evidenced for mental health difficulties that are not psychological in nature and go beyond the scope of the matrix e.g., pharmacological interventions.
Summaries are subject to ongoing review. Suggestions for evidence summaries and updates can be made by emailing psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk
The Matrix was designed in response to requests from managers and strategic leaders to support planning and decision making. As part of this The Matrix guides practitioners and clinicians through summaries of the available evidence base to support collaborative, shared decision making with people using services. This revision of The Matrix is also developed to support people using services to understand the range of evidence-based treatment options that may be available and what to expect from services and themselves in terms of engaging with these. It should also set out expectations for the broader context of accessible and compassionate services. Further information is available here: https://www.matrix.nhs.scot/learn-more-about-how-the-the-matrix-can-support-services-in-scotland/
The suggested citation for The Matrix homepage (following APA format) is given in an example below and should include the date the page was retrieved:
NHS Education for Scotland. (2023, November). ‘The Matrix: A guide to delivering evidence based psychological therapies and interventions in Scotland’. Retrieved Feb 28, 2024, from https://www.matrix.nhs.scot/
Pages relating to evidence reviews are dated to reflect the date of the most recent update. Citations of these pages should follow this format of this example page:
NHS Education for Scotland. (2023, May). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Matrix. Retrieved Feb 21, 2024, from https://www.matrix.nhs.scot/evidence-summaries/mental-health-difficulties-across-the-lifespan/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/
NES should be acknowledged as the author of the Matrix in any adapted materials. You may copy, redistribute and adapt the Matrix content for non-commercial purposes, provided the work is appropriately cited, as indicated above.
In any use of this work, there should be no suggestion that NHS Education for Scotland endorses any specific organization, products or services.