Kazdin Alan E
Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-7900, USA.
Am Psychol. 2006 Jan;61(1):42-9; discussion 62-71. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.61.1.42.
Research designed to establish the empirical underpinnings of psychotherapy relies heavily on arbitrary metrics, and researchers often do not know if clients receiving an evidence-based treatment have improved in everyday life or changed in a way that makes a difference, apart from the changes the arbitrary metrics may have shown. In other words, it is possible that evidence-based treatments with effects demonstrated on arbitrary metrics do not actually help people, that is, reduce their symptoms and improve their functioning. Clarifying the nature of arbitrary metrics and assessing their implications are important initial steps. Needed next steps are detailing the range of strategies to better connect arbitrary measures to real-world referents and developing measures in which arbitrariness is eliminated or minimized from the start.
旨在确立心理治疗实证基础的研究严重依赖于任意性的指标，而且研究人员通常并不清楚接受循证治疗的来访者在日常生活中是否有所改善，或者是否发生了有意义的改变，除了任意性指标可能显示出的变化之外。换句话说，在任意性指标上显示出效果的循证治疗实际上可能并没有帮助人们，即减轻他们的症状并改善他们的功能。阐明任意性指标的本质并评估其影响是重要的初始步骤。接下来需要的步骤是详细说明一系列策略，以便更好地将任意性测量与现实世界的参照标准联系起来，并开发从一开始就消除或最小化任意性的测量方法。
