HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ALL ISSUES SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by O'Donohue, W. Articles by Fisher, J. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by O'Donohue, W. Articles by Fisher, J. E. Related Collections Other Psychotherapy

Characteristics of Empirically Supported Treatments

Received August 25, 1999; revised October 29, 1999; accepted November 22, 1999. From the Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno. Address correspondence to Dr. O'Donohue, Department of Psychology/MS 298, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557; e-mail: wto{at}unr.edu

This study presents a survey of general characteristics of empirically supported treatments (ESTs) identified by the American Psychological Association Division 12 Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures. Results indicate that the ESTs share the following characteristics: they involve skill building, have a specific problem focus, incorporate continuous assessment of client progress, and involve brief treatment contact, requiring 20 or fewer sessions. Traditional assessment methods, such as intelligence testing, projectives, and objective personality tests such as the MMPI-2, are rarely used in these treatments. Although it is recognized that these findings are in part an artifact of sociological factors present in contemporary psychotherapy development and research, the findings may also serve as a heuristic aid in the development of therapies.

Key Words: Psychotherapy Research • Empirically Supported Treatments

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. W. Stuart Evidence-Based Psychiatric Nursing Practice: Rhetoric or Reality Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, August 1, 2001; 7(4): 103 - 114. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Characteristics of Proven Psychotherapies Journal Watch Psychiatry, July 1, 2000; 2000(701): 1 - 1. [Full Text]