From initial consultation to termination of treatment, psychologists and other mental health practitioners make a series of crucial decisions to determine the progress and therapy of the patient. These decisions have varied implications such as the clinical course of the patient, the efficacy and efficiency of the treatment, and the cost of the sessions. Thus, the decisions made by mental health professionals need to be accurate and consistent, respecting a series of guidelines that will ultimately benefit the patient. This is the first in a series of guidebooks that is designed to do just...

Recently developed psychosocial treatments for anxiety disorders reflect the systematic influence of scientifically generated knowledge, and these new treatments yield strong results. Research in such areas as information processing, cognition, behavioral avoidance, and the physiological components of anxious arousal has increased our knowledge of mediators that cause and maintain anxiety disorders.
The development of these new clinical tools is timely, as epidemiological studies now show that up to 25% of people will experience at least one anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Meanwhile,...