Evidence-Based Practices: Past, Present and Future

Evidence-based practices (EBP) and a subclass thereof, empirically supported treatments (EST), have a remote history, although their nomenclature is recent. This article presents some milestones for EBP (the past), their more recent background, such as the results of the first lists of psychotherapeutic practices that were empirically supported, and a comparison of these with the former, as a simple way to assess their development in clinical psychology (the present). Finally we discuss some limitations that must be overcome (the future). The first lists of EBP, provided strong empirical support for EBP, controversial and harmful subcategories were added, as well as EST for comorbidities and some specific recommendations for each EST in particular. Cognitive-behavioral therapy continues to dominate as the most valid. These results show a considerable advance in the systematic study of EBP. In the future there should be an increase in EBP for comorbidities, research in other countries, greater relationships between basic and technological science and a reduction in the significant dissociation between research, both clinical and basic, and professional practice, as well as the number of psychology programs based on obsolete schools of psychology and bibliographies.