Realpolitik and the empirically validated treatment debate.

The impact on Canadian professional psychological treatment practices of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures' development of criteria and listings for empirically supported psychological treatments, along with other industrial efforts to standardize the identification of treatments with established efficacy is described in the article by J. Hunsley et al (see record 1999-01869-001). M. C. King comments on the aforementioned article by expanding on the likely impact of these initiatives on practice patterns of psychotherapy in Canada. The outline of directions for practice in Canada is clearer than Hunsley et al claim, so much so that Canadian developments are quite similar to some of the US directions. King claims that it is essential for Canadian psychology to adhere to the proposed policies, and to shape how they will be used to affect funding of and access to psychological treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Let us move ahead together: Commentary on "Empirically supported treatments in psychology: Implications for Canadian professional psychology."

The impact on Canadian professional psychological treatment practices of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures' development of criteria and listings for empirically supported psychological treatments, along with other industrial efforts to standardize the identification of treatments with established efficacy is described in the article by J. Hunsley et al (see record 1999-01869-001). P. A. Pilkonis comments here on these efforts with an eye towards both producing additional information in support of the new practice criteria and establishing grounds for future progress and collaboration, especially in the research arena. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirically supported psychological treatments: A natural extension of the scientist–practitioner paradigm.

The impact on Canadian professional psychological treatment practices of the American Psychological Association's Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force's development of criteria and listings for empirically supported psychological treatments, along with other industrial efforts to standardize the identification of treatments with established efficacy is described in the article by J. Hunsley et al (see record 1999-01869-001). C. M. Morin voices comments on some aspects of the article which may need further thought. The reasons for, and utility of such a movement toward empirically supported treatment (ESTs) is investigated. The defining characteristics of an EST (from the Task Force's perspective) are subject for debate. Why have only 2 categories of ESTs (well established empirical support vs probably efficacious)? The implications of the adoption of EST-based systems will reverberate throughout training, practice, and public health policies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirically supported treatments: Too little, too late: A commentary.

The impact on Canadian professional psychological treatment practices of the American Psychological Association's Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force's development of criteria and listings for empirically supported psychological treatments, along with other industrial efforts to standardize the identification of treatments with established efficacy is described in the article by J. Hunsley et al (see record 1999-01869-001). D. R. Evans proposes that the evidence-based movement is too little, in that considerably more, and much more complex evidence for what professional psychologists do is required. It is too late, in that both in Canada and the US professional psychologists have suffered considerable setbacks in both the economic and popularity domains. There is a broad range of treatment proposals professional psychologists make to their clients daily, which are fraught with a lack of research backing. There is a vicious circle in that unless evidence-based practices become the norm, and, hence, the stuff of media, it is difficult to convince new and even some old practitioners to adopt them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Canadian professional psychology and empirically supported treatments": Commentary.

The impact on Canadian professional psychological treatment practices of the American Psychological Association's Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force's development of criteria and listings for empirically supported psychological treatments, along with other industrial efforts to standardize the identification of treatments with established efficacy is described in the article by J. Hunsley et al (see record 1999-01869-001). D. L. Chambless comments on the importance of having empirically supported treatments (ESTs) because many clients will not have the specific problems for which ESTs have been developed. In such cases, clinicians need to decide whether they are warranted in generalizing from the samples on which an EST is based, or whether they need to devise a novel approach. Also of importance is the therapeutic relationship or working alliance: a focus on ESTs should not be taken to mean that foundational issues such as the alliance can be forgotten. Training therapists should first learn basic therapeutic skills before learning more specialized ESTs. Other comments concern traditional training in Canada and a US trend of rejecting ESTs until more efficacy studies are completed of research-to-treatment generalizability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirically supported treatments in psychology: Implications for Canadian professional psychology.

Examines several interconnected efforts to develop evidence-based practice in professional psychology. We first review the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures' development of criteria and listings for empirically supported psychological treatments. Next, we present related efforts to develop procedures to identify treatments that have established efficacy and to develop practice guidelines. The possible impact of these initiatives on Canadian professional psychology in the domains of training, credentialing, practice, and research are then examined. Finally, we present recommendations for steps that should be taken by Canadian psychology organizations to respond to these initiatives in order to ensure that psychological practice in Canada is optimally supported by scientific evidence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Comparative practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists": Reply.

Replies to comments by J. Hunsley (see record 83:28521) on the original article by C. E. Watkins et al (see record 1995-23048-001) on the practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists. While Watkins et al feel that Hunsley raises some valid points, they contend that he goes too far in referring to their conclusions as inaccurate, not warranted, and as having effects that could be unfortunate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Amplifying issues related to psychological testing and assessment.

Responds to comments by D. A. Smith (see record 2002-10716-011), H. N. Garb et al (see record 2002-10716-012), R. Fernández-Ballesteros (see record 2002-10716-013), J. Hunsley (see record 2002-10716-014) regarding the G. J. Meyer et al (see record 2001-00159-003) summary of evidence and issues associated with psychological assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

History, Politics, and Transformational Change in Canadian Health Care: A Rejoinder.

Our rejoinder addresses two common themes raised in the responses by Arnett et al (see record 2004-17185-005), by Hunsley and Crabb (see record 2004-17185-006) and by Mikail and Tasca (see record 2004-17185-007) to our article (see record 2003-09748-001) concerning the potential role of psychological services in the future of public health care in Canada. The first concerns the current system's capacity to evolve beyond the medical-hospital illness model of the 1960s to incorporate psychological treatments aimed at illness prevention and health promotion. This would be more likely if psychologists were to participate directly in primary-care and home-based mental health-care reform. The second theme is the presumed negative role of "politics" rather than scientific evidence in decisions concerning public coverage or subsidy. We argue that democratic decision-making is the proper basis upon which decisions concerning public coverage are made, but it need not be in opposition to evidence-based decision-making. As recommended in the final report of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, the Health Council of Canada along with applied research institutes can make politicians and policy-makers more aware of the growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of psychological treatments relative to the alternatives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological testing and psychological assessment: A closer examination.

Comments on the G. J. Meyer et al (see record 2001-00159-003) summary of evidence and issues associated with psychological assessment. J. Hunsley states that Meyer et al failed to address two major issues at the very heart of psychological assessment practices in a consistent and sufficient manner: the crucial distinction between testing and assessment and the critical importance of incremental validity in both testing and assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Specialty designation: An industrial/organizational perspective.

Agrees with the J. Service et al (see record 1994-35137-001) argument that Canadian psychology should have a system of specialties, and addresses the issue of how minimal standards of professionalism can be ensured for psychologists who work in nonacademic settings. The twin issues of program accreditation and professional certification are central to specialty designation. Examples are taken from the Canadian Psychological Association's Section for Industrial/Organizational Psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment practices of clinical psychologists.

Comments on the article by C. E. Watkins et al (see record 1995-23048-001) on the practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists. According to Hunsley, their conclusion that the basic practice of assessment has changed little in the past 30 yrs is not warranted because of the nature of the survey data used. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate education in psychology: Time for a change?

Contends that the emergence and growth of professional schools that provide psychological knowledge and training to those seeking applied careers constitutes the most visible attempt to alter the training of psychologists. The American Psychological Association's Education and Training Board has been mandated to evaluate the scope and mechanisms of the accreditation of doctoral psychology programs and to develop a planning committee for a national conference on university-based graduate education in psychology. Proposals for change suggested by R. E. Fox et al (see record 1986-12821-001), R. L. Klatzky et al (see record 1986-13164-001), and M. E. Olbrisch et al (see record 1986-12850-001) are discussed. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a resolution of the Rorschach controversy.

Comments are made about the articles comprising the first round of the Special Series on the Rorschach. G. Stricker and J. R. Gold (see record 1999-11130-002) and D. J. Viglione (see record 199911130-003) praised the Rorschach, but they consistently failed to cite negative findings. R. M. Dawes (see record 1999-11130-006) obtained results that provide modest support for the Rorschach, but one of his data sets is flawed. J. B. Hiller et al (see record 1999-11130-005) reported the results of a meta-analysis, but, among other problems, their coders were not blind to the results of all the studies. J. Hunsley and J. M. Bailey (see record 1999-11130-004) made a strong case for concluding that there is no scientific basis for using the Rorschach. Recommendations are made for resolving the Rorschach controversy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improved treatment outcome associated with the shift to empirically supported treatments in an outpatient clinic is maintained over a ten-year period.

Recent years have seen an increase in emphasis on the use of psychological treatments that are supported by empirical data, as advocates have argued these treatments lead to better patient outcomes. We have previously shown that a shift to use of empirically supported treatments in a training clinic led to significant improvement in patient outcomes over four years (Cukrowicz et al., 2005). In the current study, we examined whether average patient outcomes at termination continued to be favorable over the six-year period following the initial shift. We examined data from 549 patients (M age = 25.78, SD = 10.08; 322 females and 227 males) treated prior to and after the shift to empirically supported treatments, all of whom were rated after termination using the Clinical Global Impression rating scale to track their improvement during treatment. The current study found that improvements in patient outcomes continued over the six-year follow-up period. Patients treated during the follow-up period had superior outcomes when compared to those treated following the initial shift to empirically supported treatments (effect size = .28, p     

Corroboration.

Corroborates the finding by R. W. Robins et al (see record 1999-00297-003) that sometime in the 1970's the prominence of behavioral psychology gave way to the ascension of cognitive psychology. In the author's own analysis of the presidential addresses of the American Psychological Association over a much broader period, it was found that in the 1970's the concept of psychological data as behavior (contentual objectivism) was superseded by the concept of psychological data as a mental structure or activity of the individual (contentual subjectivism). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sampling of empirically supported psychological treatments from health psychology: Smoking, chronic pain, cancer, and bulimia nervosa.

Interventions in health psychology and behavioral medicine represent an integral area of research for the development of psychological therapies to enhance health behaviors, manage symptoms and sequelae of disease, treat psychological symptoms and disorders, prolong survival in the face of a life-threatening illness, and improve quality of life. A sampling of interventions in health psychology and behavioral medicine is offered that meet the criteria for empirically supported treatments for smoking cessation, chronic pain, cancer, and bulimia nervosa. Evidence for empirically supported treatments is identified, along with promising interventions that do not yet meet the criteria as outlined by D. L. Chambless and S. D. Hollon (1998). Evidence for the effectiveness and clinical significance of these interventions is reviewed, and issues in this area of research are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Advancing the science of psychological assessment: The Rorschach Inkblot Method as exemplar.

This article comments on a series of 5 articles, concerning the utility of the Rorschach Inkblot Method (RTM; R. M. Dawes, see record 1999-11130-006; J. Hiller et al, see record 1999-11130-005; J. Hunsley and J. M. Bailey, see record 1999-11130-004; G. Stricker and J. R. Gold, see record 1999-11130-002; and D. J. Vigilone, see record 1999-11130-003). Two of the articles provide extensive empirical evidence that the RIM has been standardized, normed, made reliable, and validated in ways that exemplify sound scientific principles for developing an assessment instrument. A 3rd article reports a meta-analysis, indicating that the RIM and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory have almost identical validity effect sizes, both large enough to warrant confidence in using these measures. The other 2 articles adduce sketchy data and incomplete literature reviews as a basis for questioning the psychometric soundness of Rorschach assessment. Unwarranted skepticism should not be given credence as an adequate platform from which to challenge abundant evidence that the RIM works very well for its intended purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On missing the point: A reply to Jaques et al.

Replies to comments by Jaques et al (see record 2005-09346-002) on the author's original article (see record 1980-33168-001). I daresay that virtually every author who must respond to criticism thinks that the critical reader missed the point. In this case, I must join the legion of misunderstood authors. The article is entitled, "Psychological Services in Rehabilitation Medicine: Clinical Aspects of Rehabilitation Psychology." I attempted a very brief overview of the roles and functions of rehabilitation psychologists, not rehabilitation counselors. Somebody missed the point! Further, as I stated both in the abstract and in the summary, I was focusing on traditional clinical and counseling applications. I am a psychologist, and I wrote this particular article for an audience of professional psychologists to try to introduce some of the issues involved in psychological practice in this particular setting. I think that I accomplished that rather straightforward goal, and I hope that some of the readers will now consider rehabilitation psychology as an area of specialization that does utilize the skills learned in traditional clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)