--- title: "What Does \"Evidence-Based\" Even Mean?" description: The term evidence-based has many interpretations. Has it lost all its meaning? Watch this video from the Blueprints Conference to decide for yourself. --- Search Search [![MST Logo New With Tagline](https://info.mstservices.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MST%20Logo%20New%20With%20Tagline.png?width=1455&height=268&name=MST%20Logo%20New%20With%20Tagline.png "MST Logo New With Tagline")](https://mstservices.com/) # [What Does "Evidence-Based" Even Mean?](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/what-does-evidence-based-even-mean) Posted by [Dr. Gregorio Melendez](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/author/dr-gregorio-melendez) Apr 28, 2016 1:59:39 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## At Blueprints, Del Elliot wonders aloud what is happening to the term evidence-based In this year’s closing plenary session of the Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development [conference](http://www.blueprintsconference.com/), keynote speaker and Blueprints founder, Delbert Elliott, asked us whether we can we rescue the concept of evidence based. While more and more systems across the nation and world have embraced the use of [evidence-based programs](https://mstservices.com/what-is-mst/evidenced-treatment) for the treatment of antisocial behaviors, the term itself has undergone a transformation.  Originally, it referred to any program that had met minimum standards of rigorous research to back up its claim of being “evidence-based.” Over time, however, the concept of evidence based has come to refer to any program that can point to a continuum of evidence—everything from statistically significant findings in a controlled experiment to the personal opinions of a select few. In practice, this means that many programs with minimal research are being implemented under the evidence-based banner. In some cases, a treatment that research has shown produces no effect, or even harmful effects, is using the evidence-based term. ## Quality assurance a must for good outcomes Dr. Elliott provided a four-point plan for saving the concept. 1. Stop using programs that do not work or are harmful. 2. Select programs supported by rigorous experimentation, what he calls “Experimentally Proven Programs” (EPP) like [MST](https://mstservices.com/what-is-mst/what-is-mst), when it is available and if it fits the needs. 3. If an EPP is not available, then use the best available evidence to implement a treatment. 4. Evaluate all non-EPPs. Dr. Elliott ended by saying that we must either come to some unified agreement about what the term evidence-based means or drop it in favor of a term for truly effective treatments that we can agree on. To anyone interested in what it means to be an evidence-based Blueprints program, consider listening to Del’s talk. You will be inspired, encouraged, and challenged by his words. Listen and decide for yourself what it means to be “an evidence-based program.”     Topics: [Multisystemic Therapy](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/multisystemic-therapy) [![MST - Effective Intervention border](https://info.mstservices.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MST%20-%20Effective%20Intervention%20border.png?width=1200&name=MST%20-%20Effective%20Intervention%20border.png "MST - Effective Intervention border")](https://info.mstservices.com/whitepaper-what-makes-mst-such-an-effective-intervention) ### Subscribe to Blog ### Recent Posts ### Blog Categories - [Juvenile Justice Reform (113)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/juvenile-justice-reform) - [Multisystemic Therapy (86)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/multisystemic-therapy) - [MST Success Stories (76)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/mst-success-stories) - [Troubled Youth (51)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/troubled-youth) - [MST Community (49)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/mst-community) - [Child Welfare (40)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/child-welfare) - [evidence-based (33)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/evidence-based) - [Mental Health (23)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/mental-health) - [Agencies & Admin (18)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/agencies-admin) - [Substance Abuse (18)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/substance-abuse) - [School Safety (17)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/school-safety) - [Evidence-Based Practices (13)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/evidence-based-practices) - [COVID-19 (11)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/covid-19) - [Juvenile Justice (11)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/juvenile-justice) - [Families (10)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/families) - [Parents (8)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/parents) - [At risk (4)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/at-risk) - [Behavior Management (4)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/behavior-management) - [Family (4)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/family) - [Juvenile Probabtion (4)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/juvenile-probabtion) - [MST International (4)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/mst-international) - [School (3)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/school) - [education (3)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/education) - [Behavioral Health (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/behavioral-health) - [Developmental Disability (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/developmental-disability) - [Disability (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/disability) - [Funding (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/funding) - [Implementation (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/implementation) - [cost-effective (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/cost-effective) - [cultural responsiveness (2)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/cultural-responsiveness) - [Aggressive Behavior (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/aggressive-behavior) - [Caregivers (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/caregivers) - [Fidelity (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/fidelity) - [Motivational Interviewing (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/motivational-interviewing) - [collaborating (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/collaborating) - [cost effectiveness (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/cost-effectiveness) - [engagement (1)](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/topic/engagement) [See all](https://info.mstservices.com/blog/what-does-evidence-based-even-mean#) ##### Company ##### Links ##### ATLANTA 3500 Piedmont Rd NE Suite 310 Atlanta, GA 30305 - [**](http://www.facebook.com/pages/MST-Services/188842367823314) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/131731/) - [**](http://www.twitter.com/mst_services) - [**](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjTzZy3Ebd1jzadEpudtbiQ) Copyright © 2021  MST Services, LLC. 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