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Identifying empirically supported treatments: what if we didn't?
1Department of Education, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106, USA.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
|March 7, 1998
Summary
The Division 12 Task Force
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Treatment Efficacy
Background:
- The Division 12 Task Force report on empirically supported treatments (ESTs) has generated significant discussion.
- Key questions revolve around the desirability and methodology of defining effective psychological treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the appropriateness and implications of the criteria used by the Division 12 Task Force for identifying ESTs.
- To explore how different research designs might influence conclusions about treatment efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the criteria set by the Division 12 Task Force, including modifications by Chambless and Hollon (1998).
- Consideration of the impact of including naturalistic and quasi-experimental studies in the evaluation of ESTs.
Main Results:
- The Task Force's criteria, especially as modified, are deemed a reasonable approach to identifying effective treatments.
- Broadening research design criteria may lead to less favorable conclusions regarding treatment efficacy.
Conclusions:
- The established criteria for empirically supported treatments represent a justifiable method for their identification.
- The rigor of research design significantly influences the perceived efficacy and acceptance of psychological interventions.
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