Identifying Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology: Building a Bridge or Jousting with Windmills?

The outcomes of current efforts at identifying evidence-based interventions (EBIs) within school psychology remain uncertain. The political and professional contexts, diversity of settings in which school psychologists function, wide variety of intervention objectives, and multiple constituencies served by school psychologists present unique challenges to this endeavor. As the EBI process evolves, it is predicted that vigorous debate will continue over basic epistemological questions, methodological rigor, and professional use of EBI reviews. It is argued that such discussion is critical if the EBI project is to be relevant to both researchers and practitioners. Although a complex task, the effort to identify EBIs can facilitate a more data-based, problem-solving approach to school psychological services.