Empirically supported treatments for the population, by the population: Commentary on Strosahl and Robinson.

Abstract

Strosahl and Robinson (2018) thoughtfully propose adaptations to the revised (Tolin, McKay, Forman, Klonsky, & Thombs, 2015) recommendations for designating an empirically supported treatment (EST). They discuss the need for clinical psychology to adapt a population health model and describe how adjusting EST criteria could facilitate this paradigm shift, via changes in how we develop and test treatments. They concentrate on the need to develop and test interventions for integrated primary care, but acknowledge that similar issues apply to other settings, such as schools and prison. In this commentary, I further discuss the context for a public health perspective on ESTs and two of Strosahl and Robinson's excellent suggested changes; developing more transdiagnostic, yet simple psychotherapeutic interventions, and considering an intervention's usability, rather than solely its effect on symptom reduction, when rating empirical support.