How usual is treatment as usual? Experienced therapists' reflections on participation in practice-based research

Studies have shown that many clinicians are skeptical about research and hesitant about participating in research. In the present study, we explored this issue by studying experienced therapists' reflections on their participation in practice-based research. Data were drawn from a practice-base...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Counselling psychology quarterly 2020-01, Vol.33 (1), p.8-24
Main Authors: Halvorsen, Margrethe Seeger, Benum, Kirsten, Oddli, Hanne Weie, Stänicke, Erik, McLeod, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ecological validity
Medical research
object relations
Participation
Practice research
practice-based research
Psychotherapy
Questionnaires
therapist research participation
Therapists
treatment as usual
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Summary:Studies have shown that many clinicians are skeptical about research and hesitant about participating in research. In the present study, we explored this issue by studying experienced therapists' reflections on their participation in practice-based research. Data were drawn from a practice-based research study at the University of Oslo, Norway. Twelve highly experienced therapists who had contributed to the study were invited to complete an open-ended questionnaire regarding their participation, and the text material was analyzed using a thematic analytic approach. Results indicated that research participation was experienced both as beneficial and demanding, and that being observed by others and following research procedures was experienced as affecting therapists' clinical work. We discuss these findings in relation to the distinction between "treatment as usual" versus "treatment in a research context", and offer suggestions for steps to increase the clinical relevance and the ecological validity of psychotherapy research.
ISSN:0951-5070
1469-3674
DOI:10.1080/09515070.2017.1397502