About Evidence-Based Treatments

What is evidence-based treatment or practice?
An evidence-based practice (EBP) is a treatment for a mental or behavioral health concern that has gone through clinical trials to prove that it is effective in reducing symptoms. Just like medicines are put through a trial to figure out if they work and do not cause harm, psychotherapy treatments are also put through clinical trials to figure out if they work, what parts work best and why, and to make sure they do not cause harm. For example, parent child interaction therapy (PCIT) has been proven in a number of clinical studies to be highly effective in increasing compliance and reducing tantrums in young children. Even more studies have been done on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and have found it to be effective in treating depression and anxiety and in preventing or lessening the severity of future episodes.

Here is a sample list:

Problem: Anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, fears/phobias, social anxiety
Evidence-Based Treatment: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Modular Approach to Treatment for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct Problems (MATCH), Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Problem: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, executive function and organizational problems, Non-compliance, tantrums, aggression
Evidence-Based Treatment: Organizational Skills Training, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)

Problem: Depression
Evidence-Based Treatment: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

Problem: Disruptive or challenging behaviors in early childhood
Evidence-Based Treatment: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)

Problem: Disruptive or challenging behaviors in middle childhood and adolescence
Evidence-Based Treatment: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT), Parent Management Training (PMT)

Problem: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Evidence-Based Treatment: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Modular Approach to Treatment for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct Problems (MATCH), Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP)

Problem: Trauma - Child/teen, Adult
Evidence-Based Treatment: Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)