title: Development of clinical practice guidelines.
abstract: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are intended to improve mental, behavioral, and physical health by promoting clinical practices that are based on the best available evidence. The American Psychological Association (APA) is committed to generating patient-focused CPGs that are scientifically sound, clinically useful, and informative for psychologists, other health professionals, training programs, policy makers, and the public. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2011 standards for generating CPGs represent current best practices in the field. These standards involve multidisciplinary guideline development panels charged with generating recommendations based on comprehensive systematic reviews of the evidence. The IOM standards will guide the APA as it generates CPGs that can be used to inform the general public and the practice community regarding the benefits and harms of various treatment options. CPG recommendations are advisory rather than compulsory. When used appropriately, high-quality guidelines can facilitate shared decision making and identify gaps in knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240; email: steven.d.hollon@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hollon
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Areán
authors.forename: Michelle G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Craske
authors.forename: Kermit A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kivlahan
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Magnavita
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ollendick
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Sexton
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spring
authors.forename: Lynn F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bufka
authors.forename: Daniel I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Galper
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurtzman
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015969:National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, U.S., Health and Medicine Division; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D011584:Psychology / Q000592:standards*; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D014481:United States