Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of TWO of the different research methods used in psychological investigation
The importance of evidence-based practice
The importance of evidence-based practice
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of TWO of the different research methods used in psychological investigation
A debate rages in psychology, but it is not one of the usual kind, dwelling on a specific aspect of the mind or a new drug, but a controversy dealing with the very foundations of psychology. The main issue is in determining what treatments for patients are valid. Some feel that they must be empirically- supported treatments, treatments backed by hard data and scientifically supported. Others feel that this standard for treatments is much too confining for the complex field of psychology. The American Psychological Association President Task Force on Evidence-Based Treatment came out with a plan for psychology that effectively maintains a high scientific standard but allows for a variety of research designs to be used in determining how to treat a patient. This plan of evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) is good because it allows patients to receive personalized science-backed treatment.
EBPP “is the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences” (book essay 1). The first major facet of EBPP is the use of the best available research. Opponents have argued that randomized clinical trials are too narrow a type of study for psychology. A very valid point, this had been addressed in the new EBPP standard. Multiple types of research are included, ranging from public health and ethnographic research, to systematic case studies, to qualitative research, to meta-analyses (book 1). Using research-backed treatments cuts down on bias in treatment. Some psychologists argue that their experience is enough to know what works (Kendall 1998). Unfortunately, a human can be biased on incorrect without any knowledge of it. Data-backed tre...
... middle of paper ...
...s as a whole. Clients will know that they are going to receive help that is proven to be beneficial. These treatments will take a wide variety of factors in to account to be as effective as possible. These include using the best research available, taking the patient’s characteristics and background in to account, and utilizing the psychologist’s expertise. Evidence-based practice in psychology is a strong plan to advance psychology as a whole.
Works Cited
Mahrer, Alvin R (03/01/2005). "Empirically Supported Therapies and Therapy Relationships: What are the Serious Problems and Plausible Alternatives?". Journal of contemporary psychotherapy (0022-0116), 35 (1), p. 3.
Kendall, P C (02/28/1998). "Empirically Supported Psychological Therapies". Journal of consulting and clinical psychology (0022-006X), 66 (1), p. 3.
DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.66.1.3
...le, “Recovery of evidence-based practice” highlights the importance of utilizing evidence-based practice to care for mentally ill patients. “They also found a similar consensus in requirements that mental health care be based on evidence, be focused on effective treatments and best practices, and result in measurable outcomes” (Gordon & Ellis, 2013, p. 4).
EBP is defined by Sacket et al as 'the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.' (Duncan, 2006) The best evidence in this context could therefore be argued to come from information that has been researched using quantitative methods that is numerical data that tests a hypothesis such as randomized control trials (RCT)(Duncan, 2006).
Heitler, Susan. Ph.D. “8 Reasons to Cheer for Psychotherapy and to Broaden Its Availability.” Psychology Today. N.p. 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013
Kaplan, H. I., Sadock, B. J., & Grebb, J. A. (1994). Synopsis of psychiatry: behavioral sciences,
(Wilcock ,2001) states that it is essential to break it down into occupations and science. Occupations are daily activities that provide structure for living, reflect cultural values and have meanings for individuals. In addition, the science aspect is the gathering of knowledge through systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and available resources that informs practice. The information therapist seeks for is that which has been critically appraised by other authors for validity and interpretability when planning and implementing treatment.This evidence based practice is usually defined as'the conscientious, explicit,and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients’ (Dirette et al, 2009).
“At its core evidence based ‘anything’ is concerned with using valid and relevant information in decision making” “high quality research is the most important source of valid information”. Psychological Association (2006, p. 273) defines EBP as "the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture and preferences. " When caring for patients it is fundamentally important to have a good selection of up to date evidence Based Practice clinical articles to support research strategies, this allows professionals to assemble the most recent and accurate information known which enables them to make decisions tailored to the individual’s plan of care. It is essential to have clinical expertise and have the involvement of the individual patient, they must have full engagement and incorporation in order to have the accurate evaluation.... ... middle of paper ...
Roth, A., Fonagy, P. (2005). What works for Whom? A Critical Review of Psychotherapy Research. US: Guilford Press.
Nelson-Gray, Rosemery O. "Treatment Utility Of Psychological Assessment." Psychological Assessment 15.4 (2003): 521-531. PsycARTICLES. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
Liddle, H A., Rowe, C L., Dakof, G A., Henderson, C E., Greenbaum, P E.; (Feb, 2009). Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology; Vol 77(1); 12-25. Doi: 10.1177/0306624X10366960
Kaut, K. P., & Dickinson, J.A. (2007). The mental health practitioner and psychopharmacology. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(3), 204–225.
Mcbride, Carolina. Zuroff, David. Ravitz, Paula. Koestner, Richard. Moskowitz, Debbie. Quilty, Lena. Bagby, Michael. (2010). British Journal of Clinical Psychology. , 49(4), p529-545.
There are some key distinctions between Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) in a psychotherapeutic context and a medical context. There are key differences between the design of an RCT to evaluate a new drug and an RCT to evaluate a new form of couples’ therapy. However, it is important to begin by defining and understanding the importance of RCT in research (O'Brien, 2013).
Wedding, D., & Corsini, R. J. (Eds.). (2014). Current psychotherapies (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage
EBP changes according to the client and the particular case. The social worker has to examine all aspects before picking an intervention. A systematic review of multiple interventions research studies is one EBP that can be beneficial to generalist social work practice. My purpose for selecting this form of EBP is because every case, situation, or counseling can always benefit from researching previous treatment