Evidence-Based Practice for Sex Addiction: A Clinical Case Illustration

Abstract

Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the decision making process to inform the design of treatment plans and clinical intervention. In contrast with evidence-based treatment (EBT), defined as practices established as effective for a particular condition, EBP starts with the client and incorporates existing knowledge, client values, and practitioner expertise. The sex addiction literature lacks examples of explicit applications of EBP models in the development and assessment of clinical interventions. The objective of this article is to begin filling that gap, using a clinical case retrospectively to illustrate the EBP process. The author describes the steps in the EBP model used in the article through the use of a clinical case. The goal of the article is not to advocate for a specific theoretical conceptualization or treatment approach, but to offer a theoretical illustration of how the EBP process can be used in the context of sex addiction.