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Efficacy in evidence‐based practice
Author(s) -
Bower Peter
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/cpp.380
Subject(s) - psychology , meaning (existential) , evidence based practice , self efficacy , relation (database) , psychotherapist , applied psychology , alternative medicine , medicine , computer science , pathology , database
Evidence‐based practice is concerned with ensuring that patients receive treatments of proven ‘efficacy,’ and this article considers the meaning of ‘efficacy’ in relation to psychological therapy. The concept of efficacy is compared with that of ‘effectiveness’ and the relationship between these terms and the study design concepts of internal and external validity is highlighted. The advantages and disadvantages of efficacy research in psychological therapies are considered, alternatives to efficacy research are discussed and the issues are considered using the practical example of the development of the evidence base for counselling services in primary care settings in the United Kingdom. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.