The movement towards evidence-based practice in psychology and medicine should offer few problems in cognitive-behaviour therapies because it is consistent with the principles by which they have been developed and disseminated. However, the criteria for assessing empirical status, including the heavy emphasis on manualised treatments, need close examination. A possible outcome of the evidence-based movement would be to focus on the application of manualised treatments in both training and clinical practice; problems with that approach are discussed. If we are committed to evidence-based treatment, comparisons between psychological and pharmacological interventions should also be included so that rational health care decisions can be made. We should not be afraid of following the evidence, even when it supports treatments that are not cognitive-behavioural in stated orientation. Such results should be taken as an opportunity for theoretical development and new empirical inquiry rather than be a cause for concern.

A multiple baseline research design utilising visual prompts was implemented with 7 women in varying stages of pregnancy (24 to 35 weeks) to increase their frequency of Kegel pelvic exercises. Following a baseline phase, in which participants self-recorded their rates of Kegel exercise, an intervention comprising visual prompts was introduced. A return to baseline phase was then implemented where the visual prompts were removed. Data were analysed in two ways. First, a Friedman one-way repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant increase in the frequency of Kegel exercises during intervention. When the intervention was removed, the frequency of Kegel exercises decreased, in some cases to a level below that established as the original baseline. Second, data were analysed for each participant using DMITSA 2.0, which revealed that, while all individuals experienced increases in Kegel exercising from baseline to treatment phase, only 3 of the 7 experienced significant increases. Similarly, while 6 of the 7 participants experienced reductions in frequency of exercises when the treatment phase concluded, in only one case was the reduction significant. These findings are also compared to recommended rates of Kegel exercise regimes.

“Treatment” connotes “one off” and “short-term” and treatments are applied after problems have failed to respond to natural, culturally acceptable methods. In developmental disability, continuing interventions that begin early are our best hope; natural methods are part of the problem. Treatment methods are validated for particular problems and circumstances.need to be applied competently and monitored by therapists who have throrough grounding in scientific method and principles of behaviour. Nominating empirically validated treatments does not diminish the need for highly trained behaviour analysts.

A strong case can be made that, in all areas of intervention into the lives of others, the interventions used ought be empirically validated. In response to the paper by King (1997), this paper argues that there is a need to improve the empirical basis of interventions in education, particularly in the areas of curriculum design, classroom management, and academic remediation. Further, it is argued that an initial step in facilitating that improvement is by ensuring that trainee teachers receive an extensive exposure to the scientific literature on educational practices.

Driving while disqualified represents a serious and recurrent social problem, with approximately 40% of convicted individuals reoffending. The high relapse (or recidivism) rates in this group are thought to be associated with compulsivity or addictive processes. In this paper we describe a cognitive-behavioural treatment program (relapse prevention) for offenders convicted of driving while disqualified. This program represents a significant innovation in the rehabilitation of persistent driving offenders, as in the past most intervention programs have focused on driver education and/or alcohol treatment. A major assumption of the relapse-prevention approach is that for many men their driving offences represent a maladaptive response to stressful events such as interpersonal conflict. Therefore, the primary treatment approach revolves around teaching individuals more effective ways to solve their interpersonal problems and to regulate negative affective states.

The assessment of sexual aggression presents many difficulties for clinicians. The tendency of offenders to minimise or deny their offending, and their frequent distrust of mental health professionals, require high levels of skill to circumvent. In addition, the multifactorial nature of rape means that assessment needs to cover a broad range of content areas and utilise a number of different methods. In this paper we suggest that a comprehensive assessment should inquire into the developmental history of rapists, social competency, attitudes and beliefs about women and sexual crimes, sexual knowledge, sexual preferences and disorders, empathy, offence variables, psychiatric history, and substance abuse. The clinical interview remains the primary method of information acquisition, and needs to be tailored to match the particular interpersonal style of rapists. The use of psychometric and physiological measures are also valuable sources of clinical data.