This updated review of evidence-based treatments follows the original review performed by the Hawaii Task Force. Over 750 treatment protocols from 435 studies were coded and rated on a 5-level strength of evidence system. Results showed large numbers of evidencebased treatments applicable to anxiety, attention, autism, depression, disruptive behavior, eating problems, substance use, and traumatic stress. Treatments were reviewed in terms of diversity of client characteristics, treatment settings and formats, therapist characteristics, and other variables potentially related to feasibility and generalizability. Overall, the literature has expanded considerably since the previous review, yielding a growing list of options and information available to guide decisions about treatment selection.

Research in the dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs) suggests that practitioners' knowledge of and attitudes towards EBPs influence their decisions to adopt such practices. This study investigated the relationships between practitioner background variables and EBP knowledge and attitudes, as well as the relationship between knowledge and attitudes among public sector youth direct service providers (n = 240). Findings suggest that knowledge and attitudes relate to practitioners' most advanced degree, practice setting, and licensure status. Additionally, lack of knowledge in the form of EBP under-identification was related to negative attitudes. Findings are discussed as they relate to the dissemination of EBPs.

Exposure therapy is recognized as the key component of cognitive-behavioral treatment for anxiety. However, exposure is the least used evidence-based treatment in community mental health settings and is the most challenging technique for clinicians to adopt within the context of effectiveness and implementation trials. Little work has examined clinician and organizational characteristics that predict use of exposure, which is important for identifying implementation strategies that may increase its use. In a large sample of community health clinicians (N = 335) across 31 clinical practice sites, this study characterized clinician and organizational predictors of exposure use and relaxation for anxiety. Mixed effects regression analyses indicated that both clinician attitudes and an organization’s implementation climate may be important levers for interventions seeking to increase clinician exposure use. Greater clinician use of relaxation strategies was also associated with less exposure use. Results point to important implications for implementing cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety, including de-emphasizing relaxation and attending to organizational climate.

The current study was the 1st to examine the psychometric properties of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children-Parent Version (PANAS-C-P) using a large school-based sample of children and adolescents ages 8 to 18 (N = 606). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a 2-factor (correlated) model of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). The PANAS-C-P scale scores also demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity. The PANAS-C-P PA and NA scale scores also related to measures of anxiety and depression in a manner consistent with the tripartite model. Scale means and standard deviations were reported by grade and sex to provide normative data for the PANAS-C-P scales. Results from the present study provide initial support for the PANAS-C-P as a parent-reported perspective of youth PA and NA among school-based youths.

Although significant progress has been made in the identification of youth evidence-based practices, the adoption of these interventions into community-based mental health care remains limited. Dissemination and implementation (DI) research has the potential to bridge this science-practice gap in clinical psychology. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) offers a useful conceptualization of individual behavior change including behavioral intention as defined by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. To facilitate application of this model to DI efforts, the current study explores perspectives about using evidence-based practice from stakeholders in the field of youth mental health (including clinical supervisors, case managers, administrators at the departments of health and education, and direct service providers in clinic-based, school-based, and intensive in-home settings) within the TPB framework. A set of instrument items was created from this rich qualitative data using a rigorous mixed-method content validation approach. Instrument items are provided for future use in DI research.