Evidence-based psychotherapy - Carol D. Goodheart

The adoption of evidence-based practice (EBP) has powerful ramifications for the future of psychotherapy. As the EBP movement spreads throughout healthcare, with its associated demands for demonstrable results, cost monitoring and accountability, mental health professionals are not in agreement on the best treatments and their bases or how to weight the factors that contribute to good outcomes. ""Evidence-Based Psychotherapy: Where Practice and Research Meet"" engages the voices of a broad range of clinical researchers, practitioners, educators, and public policy advocates in a comprehensive discussion of the spectrum of issues and arguments in the current debate about EBP. Acknowledging differences in the fundamental purposes of research and practice in psychology, a trio of distinguished editors (Carol D. Goodheart, Alan E. Kazdin, and Robert J. Sternberg) present a range of viewpoints on the role and nature of EBP from leading figures in clinical practice and research. Their intent is to instigate a dialogue among mental health professionals. To this end, the book offers distinctive perspectives, seeks common ground, and reveals legitimate differences, unanswered questions, and promising avenues for improving psychotherapy. The chapter authors examine the evolution, politics, treatment approaches and implications of EBP in psychotherapy. In their cogent introduction and notes between the sections, the editors tie together the book's themes, discuss their implications, and present conclusions. The final chapter lays out a series of cautions regarding EBP in psychotherapy tied to the themes arising in the book.