Evidence base updates: the evolution of the evaluation of psychological treatments for children and adolescents.

This article introduces a new feature in the journal: Evidence Base Updates. Starting with this issue of the journal, there will be one such update in each issue. The updates will focus on reviewing the treatments studies focused on a specific child/adolescent problem area and identifying those treatments with the strongest evidence base. Updates will use a revised set of criteria for evaluating the evidence, based on past work, but modified to emphasize methodological rigor of studies and designed to identify those treatments with questionable efficacy. The article also places the evaluation of psychological treatments in historical context. As well, the changes made in the criteria are discussed.