Evidence-based treatments (EBT) are underutilized in community settings, where consumers are often seen for treatment. Underutilization of EBTs may be related to a lack of empirically informed and supported training strategies. The goals of this review are to understand the state of the literature for training therapists in psychotherapy skills and to offer recommendations to improve research in this area. Results of this review of 55 studies evaluating six training methods indicate that multicomponent trainings have been studied most often and have most consistently demonstrated positive training outcomes relative to other training methods. Studies evaluating utility of reading, selfdirected trainings, and workshops have documented that these methods do not routinely produce positive outcomes. Workshop follow-ups help to sustain outcomes. Little is known about the impact of train-the-trainer methods. Methodological flaws and factors that may influence training outcome and future directions are also reviewed.
Keywords therapist training; implementation; dissemination; psychosocial treatmentsThe hope that mental health problems can be successfully ameliorated is supported by the availability of an increasing number of psychosocial treatment approaches with established efficacy (e.g., Silverman & Hinshaw, 2008). For example, efficacious treatment programs have been reported to address developmental disorders, behavioral and emotional disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders, among others (e.g., Eyberg, Nelson, & Boggs, 2008;Scogin, Welsh, Hanson, Stump, & Coates, 2005). However, these approaches continue to be underutilized in community settings (Street, Niederehe, & Lebowitz, 2000) where millions of consumers receive mental health services Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street -537 Bellefield Towers, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412-246-5897 (phone), 412-246-5341 (fax), HerschellAD@upmc.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
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Scope and Definitions of Evidence-Based TreatmentMore than 10 years ago, the American Psychological Associations' Division 12's (Clinical Psychology) Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures (1995) offered recommendations to promote efforts to define, study and evaluate, teach, and disseminate EBTs (then labeled empirically validated treatments and renamed empirically supported treatments; Chambless et al., 1998;Chambless et al., 1996). These recommendations included increasing the availability of empirically supported interventions, enforcing g...