Assessment of psychotherapy is a challenge to both researchers and clinical psychologists. This critical review about assessment of process and outcomes in psychotherapy stimulates the debate on how evidence-based clinical practice can provide scientific information about the relationship between therapeutic intervention and clinical outcome. This allows to identify therapeutic mechanisms and strategies to enhance the process of change in psychotherapy. This debate might narrow the gap between research and clinical practice. The improvement on clinical psychology training and the choice of cost-effective interventions might depend on the identification of variables that influence efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy.
psychotherapeutic treatment; efficacy and effectiveness; evidence-based practice