Evidence based practice (EBP) was originally developed in medicine and was gradually adopted by other health disciplines such as; dentistry, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, education, etc. Evidence based practice advocates that treatment decisions should be based on and supported by scientific research and not just on different philosphies of treatment. The American Psychological Association and the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies also support evidence based practice.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most commonly used evidence-based practice treatment approach for a wide range of psychological problems in children, adolescents, and adults.