The role of empirically supported treatments in evidence-based psychological practice: A Canadian perspective

This article offers a Canadian perspective on the empirically supported psy chological treatments initiative. As a context for the comments, we begin w ith an overview of the structure of professional psychology in Canada and c omments regarding the logical fit of an evidence-based approach to practice within Canadian professional psychology. The history and recommendations o f the Task Force on Empirically Supported Treatments commissioned by the Cl inical Psychology section (CSP) of the Canadian Psychological Association a re outlined. Two themes are identified in the recommendations of the Canadi an Task Force: an encouragement of collaboration among various professional , regulatory, and accreditation bodies in promoting evidence-based psycholo gical practice, and an approach to dissemination that explicitly recognizes the complexities of clinical practice and the limitations of existing empi rical knowledge. The commentary ends with discussion of the current CSP rep ort, with particular attention to similarities and differences between the approach outlined here and the recommendations of the Canadian Task Force.