Are empirically supported treatments valid for ethnic minorities? Toward an alternative approach for treatment research

Abstract

The psychological community has given considerable attention to the problem of establishing empirically supported treatments (ESTs). The authors argue that a scientific practice that discriminates against some approaches to knowledge undermines the EST's relevance for communities of color. They examine the EST project's contribution to knowledge of effective treatments for ethnic minorities by considering both how knowledge is constructed and the limits of research (e.g., external validity). Alternatives on how to best contribute to treatment research of clinical utility with diverse populations are articulated. An approach for treatment research, derived from an integration of the hypothesis-testing and discovery-oriented research approaches, is presented, and recommendations to advance treatment research with ethnic minority communities are offered.