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

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