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How Intervention and Implementation Characteristics Relate to Community Therapists’ Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practices: A Mixed Methods Study

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Abstract

Therapists’ perceptions toward evidence-based practices (EBPs) are important in implementation efforts, however little is known about characteristics of EBPs associated with more positive attitudes. This mixed-methods study examined how intervention and implementation characteristics of six EBPs related to therapist attitudes. Quantitative analysis of 793 cross-sectional surveys revealed that therapists endorsed more positive attitudes toward EBPs with (1) prescribed session content and order and (2) required consultation. Associations between these intervention and implementation characteristics and attitudes were not moderated by therapist experience or emotional exhaustion. Qualitative analyses complemented quantitative findings, indicating that “structure” was appealing for interventions and that therapists felt supported by consultation.

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Notes

  1. Practices have been de-identified in order to maintain a neutral presentation of data.

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Funding

Funding supported by NIMH(R01MH100134).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9490, USA

    Miya Barnett

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Lauren Brookman-Frazee & Nicole Stadnick

  3. Child and Adolescents Service Research Center, San Diego, CA, USA

    Lauren Brookman-Frazee & Nicole Stadnick

  4. Hathaway-Sycamores, Child and Family Services, Pasadena, CA, USA

    Jennifer Regan

  5. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Dana Saifan & Anna Lau

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  1. Miya Barnett
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  2. Lauren Brookman-Frazee
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  5. Nicole Stadnick
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Correspondence to Miya Barnett.

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Miya Barnett, Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Jennifer Regan, Dana Saifan, Nicole Stadnick, and Anna Lau declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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It was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Barnett, M., Brookman-Frazee, L., Regan, J. et al. How Intervention and Implementation Characteristics Relate to Community Therapists’ Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practices: A Mixed Methods Study. Adm Policy Ment Health 44, 824–837 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-017-0795-0

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