Thursday, July 26, 2012

Evidence-Based & Empirically Supported

I am reading journal articles again!  I came across these helpful definitions.  I will refer to them again and again and watch as they change.  That's how it is when we are trying to understand reality.

Empirically supported treatment (EST) - The criteria for EST have been established by the American Psychological Association (APA).  The APA defined EST as possessing the following criteria:
The treatment must:
(a) possess a no-treatment control group, alternative treatment group or placebo and
(b) include a treatment manual, treatment for a specific population, outcome measures, and data analysis.
Three possible types of EST:
1) "Efficacious" is defined as any EST "superior in two or more independent research settings
2) "Possibly efficacious" is used when one study shows superiority as long as conflicting evidence fails to exist
3) "Efficacious and specific" means the treatment is "statistically significantly superior to placebo or alternative bona fide treatment in two or more independent studies"
Empirically based treatment (EBT) - A more recently labeled term connotes specific interventions or techniques that have proven effective with specifically defined symptoms or syndromes. For example, the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat generalized anxiety disorder has been found through outcome data to be effective.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) - this term is often used in the discussion of the link between research and clinical practice, describes a broader process of using research findings, client needs and preferences, and therapist skills and training to plan the treatment of a specific client presenting with a specific set of problems.

Kim, J.S., Smock, S., Trepper, T.S., McCollum, E.E., Franklin, C. (2010).  Is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Evidence-Based?  Families In Society:  The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 91(3), 300-306.

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