[Psychotherapy and science - harmony or dissonance?]

Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother. 2012 Sep;40(5):301-6. doi: 10.1024/1422-4917/a000186.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Clinical practice and psychotherapy research are often perceived as areas of conflict with little common ground. Despite substantial empirical progress over the last few decades, research findings frequently play only a minor role in clinical decision making or treatment selection. Instead, clinical psychologists often trust their own clinical judgment, which may lead, for example, to an underestimation of the likelihood of treatment failures. In clinical practice, flexible treatments are often preferred over standardized interventions, based, for example, on the assumption that the latter ones will not be accepted by clinical patients. However, in addition to providing compelling evidence for their effectiveness, recent data suggest that patients highly appreciate standardized interventions such as structured clinical interviews. Recent research has shown that research-oriented training programs enhance the acceptance of evidence-based treatments by therapists as well as therapeutic outcomes. To facilitate the dissemination of research findings, psychotherapy researchers need to make their findings more easily accessible to practitioners, and training programs for clinical psychologists should be research based.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Curriculum
  • Diffusion of Innovation
  • Evidence-Based Practice / education*
  • Evidence-Based Practice / standards*
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Judgment
  • Psychology, Clinical / education
  • Psychotherapy / education*
  • Psychotherapy / standards*
  • Quality Assurance, Health Care / standards
  • Research
  • Science*
  • Treatment Failure