Assessing the methodological quality of the Canadian Psychiatric Association's anxiety and depression clinical practice guidelines.

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) endeavour to incorporate the best available research evidence together with the clinically informed opinions of leading experts in order to guide clinical practice when dealing with a given condition. There has been increased interest in CPGs that are evidence based and that promote best practice, a central component of which is incorporating the best available research predicated on strong study designs. Despite this soaring interest, there remains heterogeneity in the methodological quality of many CPGs, which may have an effect on the quality of services that clinicians offer.