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PSYCHOTHERAPY AND RESEARCH: A RELATION THAT NEEDS TO BE REINVENTED
Author(s) -
Vanheule Stijn
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
british journal of psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1752-0118
pISSN - 0265-9883
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-0118.2008.01103.x
Subject(s) - randomized controlled trial , psychology , context (archaeology) , psychotherapist , relation (database) , clinical practice , epistemology , medicine , computer science , nursing , paleontology , philosophy , surgery , database , biology
In this paper I question whether the randomized controlled trial (RCT) and the evidence‐based medicine model are well suited for psychotherapy research. First I discuss general characteristics of the randomized controlled trial and argue that, given a number of incompatibilities with the discipline of psychotherapy, these trials tend to provide us with data that have limited validity. The methodological objections I raise are important as the treatment protocols produced within the context of randomized controlled trials tend to be forced upon clinical practice in uncritical ways. On the other hand, I argue that systematic research is relevant for psychotherapy. If research is designed to address concerns arising from clinical practice – in particular, the far‐reaching complexity of the therapeutic encounter – it can be a powerful tool for further developing our discipline.