Where is the evidence for "evidence-based" therapy?

Journal title PSICOTERAPIA E SCIENZE UMANE
Author/s Jonathan Shedler
Publishing Year 2018 Issue 2018/3
Language Italian Pages 16 P. 383-398 File size 204 KB
DOI 10.3280/PU2018-003003
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The term "evidence-based" therapy has become a de facto code word for manualized therapy, most often brief, highly scripted forms of cognitive behavior therapy. It is widely asserted that "evidence-based" therapies are scientifically proven and superior to other forms of psychotherapy. Empirical research does not support these claims, but shows that "evidence-based" therapies are weak treatments. Their benefits are trivial, few patients get well, and even the trivial benefits do not last. Troubling research practices paint a misleading picture of the actual benefits of "evidence-based" therapies, including sham control groups, cherry-picked patient samples, and suppression of negative findings.

Keywords: Evidence-based therapy; Empirically supported treatments (EST); Psychotherapy outcome research; Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT); Psycho-dynamic therapy (PDT)

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Jonathan Shedler, Dove sono le evidenze della terapia "basata sulle evidenze"? in "PSICOTERAPIA E SCIENZE UMANE" 3/2018, pp 383-398, DOI: 10.3280/PU2018-003003