What are the Specific Evidence-Based Practices?

Many intervention approaches have been found to be effective in treating different mental health, behavioral, and emotional problems. Typically, information on evidence-based practices is organized by type of problem. Sometimes problems are listed under general categories, such as "internalizing" and "externalizing" disorders. Youth experiencing internalizing disorders may have anxiety, depression, and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. Youth experiencing externalizing disorders may have problems with behavior, hyperactivity, and/or aggression.

To learn more about mental health, behavioral, and emotional problems, see: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Facts for Families

Although a great deal of information is available to families describing specific evidence-based and promising practices that address different problems and disorders, it can be difficult finding this information. The Society for Child and Adolescent Psychology is a good place to start to learn about the many evidence-based practices available for several child and adolescent mental health problems.

Example: To identify evidence-based or promising practices for a youth who is having serious behavior problems in school and in the community:

  • On the Society for Child and Adolescent Psychology website, click on "Conduct/Oppositional Problems"
  • On that new page, click on "Conduct Disorders"
  • On that new page you can read a description of conduct disorder and a profile of a youth that has a conduct disorder
  • On that same page, in the box at the top click on "Evidence-Based Treatment Options"
  • On that page you will see a list and descriptions of the various evidence-based and promising practices that have been found to be effective with youth that have conduct disorders.

Helpful Links:

The links below contain much of the same information, but were developed for different purposes: