Behavior therapy at century close

Although its impact has been less than originally hoped, behavior therapy has profoundly influenced psychotherapy over the second half of the 20th century. Behavior therapy has dominated controlled outcome research on psychological therapy, has led the field in the development of empirically validated treatments, and has become the treatment of choice for several adult and childhood clinical disorders. Behavior therapy has also responded to advances in psychological science and clinical practice by broadening its conceptual base to incorporate cognitive principles and procedures. Yet, important gaps between science and practice remain.