Psychotherapy clients’ recalled treatment experiences: A survey of perceived evidence-based practice elements

Evidence-based practice (EBPs) elements can be observed across treatment approaches for commonly occurring problems. Little is known about the prevalence or pervasiveness of EBP elements from the routine client's perspective. We assessed psychotherapy clients’ self-reported retrospective treatment experiences with regard to common EBP elements. Participants (N = 592) were consenting university undergraduate students who accessed a web survey that included (a) demographic items; (b) an item assessing the problem domain(s) of focus during their therapy; and (c) the presence/absence of 8 EBP elements and the extent to which they were a focus of their psychotherapy. Overall, routine psychotherapy clients recalled receiving a variety of EBP elements, the most common being a focus on positive emotions. Future work should continue to focus on clients’ experience of psychotherapy elements, including what was/is most and least helpful to assist in the refinement and implementation of EBPs.