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Empirically Validated Psychological Treatment: What Does It Mean in the Domain of Relationship Problems?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

W. Kim Halford
W. Kim Halford*
Affiliation:
Griffith University
*
School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Nathan QLD 4111, Australia
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Extract

The concept of empirically validated treatments is an attempt to focus psychological training and practice on treatments that work. In this paper, I examine the complexities of defining the concept with reference to the treatment of relationship problems. The key criterion employed to define a treatment as empirically validated is established efficacy within controlled trials. I suggest that the criteria need to be expanded to include assessment of the variability, clinical significance, and durability of treatment effects, the relative efficacy of alternative approaches, and the ease of dissemination of treatments. Whilst few, if any, psychological treatments currently have data on whether they meet all these criteria, I suggest that setting these more ambitious criteria will direct us towards the ultimate goal of offering better psychological treatments.

Type
Special Issue: Empirically Validated Treatments
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , March 1997 , pp. 9 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1997

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References

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