Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the foundations of the empirical research in the field of psychotherapy. It then explores the issue of evidence-based practice. The book focuses on specific area of research field, assessing the effectiveness of couple and family psychotherapy. It looks at the increasingly important area of self-assessment. The book also looks at some different but related areas of human functioning and how these are informed by empirical research. It exemplifies the central theme; the basic questions of how one might know what they know and how that translates into the theory and practice of psychotherapy. The book discusses how empirical research is related to the theory and practice of psychotherapy and how to be a good consumer of psychotherapy research. It then talks about the study that is directly related to psychotherapy, psychodiagnosis.