Evidence-based psychotherapy: APA first list

APA Division 12 published criteria and a list of empirically supported treatments (ESTs). The beginning of evidence-based psychotherapy.

APA Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) published the first list of empirically supported treatments (ESTs), establishing strict criteria: at least two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrating efficacy superior to placebo or an alternative treatment.

CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) was the first therapy widely recognized as evidence-based for depression and anxiety. Gradually, other approaches gained recognition: exposure therapy for PTSD, IPT (interpersonal therapy) for depression.

The movement generated productive tension between clinicians and researchers. Critics argued that ESTs don't capture the complexity of real-world practice, while proponents insisted that patients deserve proven treatments.

The most important legacy was establishing that psychological therapies can and should be evaluated with the same rigor as medications. This transformed training, supervision, and clinical practice worldwide.

Significance: This is one of the most significant developments in the psychology of our time. Its repercussions continue to be felt years later and have fundamentally changed how we understand the human mind and clinical practice.