Science or Pseudoscience

Often, therapies that are pseudoscience will appear to be scientifically based when in fact they are not. In their article, “Science and Pseudoscience in Communication Disorder: Criteria and Applications,” Fin, Bothe and Bramlett (2005) assert there are 10 criteria that can assist in determining if a therapy is scientifically based or if it is pseudoscience (p. 172).
Their first criterion deals with the testability of the therapy or treatment. Valid scientific treatments have the ability to be thoroughly examined. If a therapy or treatment cannot be tested, it is not credible. Many pseudoscience therapies claim to have proven and verifiable results. However, the claims are not founded on experiment based evidence (Fin, Bothe and Bramlett, 2005, p. 173). In their second claim, Fin, Bothe and Bramlett (2005) address the adaptability of a treatment method when conflicting evidence is presented (p. 173) . This claim, much like the first claim, deals with the evaluation of the therapy. In true scientific treatment, the goal is to provide valid therapies. Thus, any scientific evidence that differs from the original research is thoughtfully analyzed and, changes or corrections are made when necessary (Fin, Bothe and Bramlett, 2005, p. 173). The third criterion deals with verifiable evidence. It is important for treatments to be assessed in a way that allows for the possibility of failure and, when contradictory evidence is discovered, it cannot be ignored. Pseudoscientific treatments often ignore contradictory evidence and base their claims solely on confirming evidence. (Fin, Bothe and Bramlett, 2005, p. 173). Criterion four offers insight on narrative based evidence. The positive claims associated with pseudoscience are...

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...not guaranteed. Pseudoscientific treatments repeatedly offer extravagant and guaranteed results (Fin, Bothe and Bramlett, 2005, p. 177). Finally, criterion ten looks at the therapy approach. Scientific research should be detailed and explicit, and should examine the cause and effect of both the disorder and the treatment. Many pseudoscience therapies claim that treatments only work if applied and analyzed universally, with the whole person in mind (Fin, Bothe and Bramlett, 2005, p. 177).
In general, treatments are not exclusively scientific or pseudoscientific and the list above is by no means comprehensive. However, it does provide a framework for evaluating possible therapy options. Evaluating a treatment based on the ten criteria cannot guarantee a treatment’s effectiveness but it can help establish its validity (Fin, Bothe, and Bramlett, 2005, p. 178).