Investigating the Science-Practice Gap from the Practitioner Viewpoint

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Division of Services and Intervention Research (DISR) has declared the identification of dissemination pathways from science to practice an area of high priority. The current proposal aims to examine the long-standing gap between psychotherapy practice and research from the viewpoint of the front-line practitioner. Despite extensive discussions of the science-practice gap in the literature, there is remarkably little evidence documenting clinicians' views on empirically supported treatments (ESTs), the barriers to dissemination of these treatments, and clinicians' choices about treatments in general. This proposal is designed to fill this void and gather information about front-line practitioners that could begin a dialogue and an active collaboration between researcher and practicing clinician. Study 1 examines whether researchers can make EST research more compelling to practitioners through the use of case examples. Of interest is whether clinicians will find statistics from randomized controlled outcome studies more compelling if the statistics are presented with a vivid case study treated with the EST. Study 2 examines perceived barriers (both theoretical and practical) to EST adoption. This survey queries clinicians regarding barriers to gaining training in ESTs, including theoretical barriers proposed in the literature, as well as practical barriers such as the time and resources necessary to gain training in an EST. If researchers are more aware of the barriers to EST training and adoption, they can more appropriately devise dissemination strategies in the future. Study 3 utilizes open-ended interviews and qualitative analysis to collect data about clinicians' decision-making in everyday practice. The purpose of this study is to glean information about clinicians, how they make decisions about treatment in their practice, and how to make treatment research more relevant, available, and applicable to their practices. A vast amount of resources, hours, and careers have been devoted to determining what treatments work for what disorders, ostensibly to improve the welfare and outcomes of the mentally ill. Nonetheless, it is not clear that practicing clinicians are utilizing this research to inform treatment decisions in everyday practice. The overarching purpose of this proposal is to use translational research to foster increased dissemination of ESTs. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: In this research, paradigms from basic judgment and decision making research will be used to inform researchers about barriers to dissemination of ESTs to clinical practice and about methods of making such research more acceptable to front-line clinicians. Hopefully this research will assist in bridging the gap between clinical science and practice and thereby improve the public health.