APA guidelines on evidence based psychological
practice in health care
Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology (EBPP) = A tripartite model, defined as the
intersection of:
1. high-quality research,
2. clinical expertise (the psychologist’s skills and experience),
3. and patients’ characteristics, sociocultural background, and preferences.
APA’s EBPP policy provides a framework for integrating these 3 components.
Professional practice guidelines differ from clinical practice guidelines.
Clinical practice guidelines:
o Make recommendations for the treatment of specific disorders or conditions.
o Based on systematic reviews that summarize research evidence of treatment
efficacy.
Professional practice guidelines:
o Offer guidance on roles, patient populations, or practice settings.
o Based on current research and professional consensus.
The intervention process often includes some or all of the following elements:
Conducting a psychological assessment.
Developing a treatment plan.
Cultivating and maintaining an effective therapeutic relationship.
Tailoring psychological services to patient characteristics, culture, and preferences.
Assessing patient progress and outcomes over time.
Modifying the clinical approach when it does not produces the desired outcomes.
EBPP differs from Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs).
Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology (EBPP):
o A broad, flexible approach to psychological care.
o These guidelines cover many activities beyond just treatment, like
assessment, diagnosis, case formulation, prevention, psychotherapy, and
consultation.
, o It involves a decision-making process that combines: scientific research,
clinical expertise, and the patient’s unique characteristics, culture and
preferences, to achieve the best outcome for the patient.
o EBPP is about the full range of care and decision-making to meet individual
patient needs.
o The current professional guidelines do not aim to endorse specific treatment
methods.
Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs):
o Narrower, and focus on specific treatments, which are proven to work for
particular conditions or problems under specific circumstances in controlled
clinical trials.
Guideline = Statements that suggest or recommend specific professional behaviours,
activities, endeavours, approaches, or conduct for psychologists. They serve an educative
function, not a regulatory function. They are not intended to create a requirement for
practice, or to be used by third parties to limit coverage for reimbursement (vergoeding door
verzekeringen).
Guidelines suggestion.
Standards mandatory.
Psychological intervention = Includes assessment, diagnosis, prevention, treatment,
psychotherapy, and consultation.
The guidelines cover all these activities of psychological intervention, but they
emphasize psychological treatment.
Patient = The individual (or couple/group) receiving psychological services.
In many instances, there are valid reasons for using alternative terms (client,
consumer, individual, person).
practice in health care
Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology (EBPP) = A tripartite model, defined as the
intersection of:
1. high-quality research,
2. clinical expertise (the psychologist’s skills and experience),
3. and patients’ characteristics, sociocultural background, and preferences.
APA’s EBPP policy provides a framework for integrating these 3 components.
Professional practice guidelines differ from clinical practice guidelines.
Clinical practice guidelines:
o Make recommendations for the treatment of specific disorders or conditions.
o Based on systematic reviews that summarize research evidence of treatment
efficacy.
Professional practice guidelines:
o Offer guidance on roles, patient populations, or practice settings.
o Based on current research and professional consensus.
The intervention process often includes some or all of the following elements:
Conducting a psychological assessment.
Developing a treatment plan.
Cultivating and maintaining an effective therapeutic relationship.
Tailoring psychological services to patient characteristics, culture, and preferences.
Assessing patient progress and outcomes over time.
Modifying the clinical approach when it does not produces the desired outcomes.
EBPP differs from Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs).
Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology (EBPP):
o A broad, flexible approach to psychological care.
o These guidelines cover many activities beyond just treatment, like
assessment, diagnosis, case formulation, prevention, psychotherapy, and
consultation.
, o It involves a decision-making process that combines: scientific research,
clinical expertise, and the patient’s unique characteristics, culture and
preferences, to achieve the best outcome for the patient.
o EBPP is about the full range of care and decision-making to meet individual
patient needs.
o The current professional guidelines do not aim to endorse specific treatment
methods.
Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs):
o Narrower, and focus on specific treatments, which are proven to work for
particular conditions or problems under specific circumstances in controlled
clinical trials.
Guideline = Statements that suggest or recommend specific professional behaviours,
activities, endeavours, approaches, or conduct for psychologists. They serve an educative
function, not a regulatory function. They are not intended to create a requirement for
practice, or to be used by third parties to limit coverage for reimbursement (vergoeding door
verzekeringen).
Guidelines suggestion.
Standards mandatory.
Psychological intervention = Includes assessment, diagnosis, prevention, treatment,
psychotherapy, and consultation.
The guidelines cover all these activities of psychological intervention, but they
emphasize psychological treatment.
Patient = The individual (or couple/group) receiving psychological services.
In many instances, there are valid reasons for using alternative terms (client,
consumer, individual, person).
