Current Status and Counselors' Perceptions of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents

This study investigated the extent to which evidence-based psychotherapy is being implemented in actual counseling settings amidst growing interest in such approaches to bridge the gap between the increasing prevalence of mental health issues among children and adolescents and the low utilization rate of mental health services. A survey of 128 counselors working with children and adolescents revealed that 89.8% consider EBPT in their practice; however, a majority apply EBPT only up to stages 2-4, with just 2.6% reaching stage 5 (evaluation and sharing of results). The most commonly reported challenge was the difficulty of applying EBPT in real counseling contexts, highlighting the need for practical support to promote EBPT adoption. This study discusses potential strategies to bridge the gap between research and counseling practices to improve accessibility to mental health services for children and adolescents.