Abstract
At the centre of POR is the concept of collaboration between patients, therapists, agencies, and third-party payers. For this commentary, I review the articles of the special issue with attention to both the opportunities and challenges offered by practice-oriented research (POR). I also reviewed some previous research on practice-research networks and how that research might inform POR. The use of routine outcome monitoring (ROM), artificial intelligence (AI), and program evaluation (PE) models show promise for advancing POR. However, each comes with its challenges. The use of ROM to improve patient outcomes has research support. However, researchers have identified problems with implementing ROM because of low uptake by clinicians and because clinicians may see ROM as a potential intrusion. AI shows promise to improve patient outcomes by potentially providing therapists with immediate and nuanced data to inform interventions and interpersonal stances specific to each patient. However, the scaling up of AI runs the risk of dehumanizing psychological interventions. PE may provide a context for allowing therapists to engage in POR to address real-world processes and outcomes of mental health interventions. However, like ROM PE faces the challenge of trust among clinicians and patients who may be reluctant to participate. Despite these challenges, and because of efforts to nurture and maintain respectful collaborations, articles in this special issue highlight how POR can play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atzil-Slonim, D., Penedo, J. M. G., & Lutz, W. (2024, this isue). Leveraging novel technologies and artificial intelligence to advance practice-oriented research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Beutler, L. E., Williams, R. E., Wakefield, P. J., & Entwistle, S. R. (1995). Bridging scientist and practitioner perspectives in clinical psychology. American Psychologist, 50, 984–994. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.50.12.984.
Castonguay, L. G., Barkham, M., Lutz, W., & McAleavy, A. (2013). Practice oriented research: Approaches and applications. In M. J. Lambert (Ed.), Bergin & Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (6th ed., pp. 85–133). Wiley.
Castonguay, L., Atzil-Slonim, D., de Jong, K., & Youn, S. J. (2024, this issue). Practice-oriented research: An introduction to new developments and future directions. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Douglas, S., Page, A. C., Moltu, C., Kyron, M., & Satterthwaite, T. (2024, this issue). The connections matter: Bi-directional learning in program evaluation and practice-oriented research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Fernández-Álvarez, J., Molinari, G., Kilcullen, J. R., Delgadillo, J., Drill, R., Errázuriz, P., Falkenström, F., Firth, N., O’Shea, A., Youn, S. J., & Castonguay, L. G. (2024, this issue). The importance of conducting practice-oriented research with underserved populations. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research.
Lutz, W., Deisenhofer, A. K., Rubel, J., Bennemann, B., Giesemann, J., Poster, K., & Schwartz, B. (2022). Prospective evaluation of a clinical decision support system in psychological therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 90(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000642.
McAleavey, A. A., de Jong, K., Nissen-Lie, H. A., Boswell, J. F., Moltu, C., & Lutz, W. (2024, this issue). Routine outcome monitoring and clinical feedback in psychotherapy: Recent advances and future directions. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
McPherson, S., Wicks, C., & Tercelli, I. (2020). Patient experiences of psychological therapy for depression: A qualitative metasynthesis. Bmc Psychiatry, 20, 313. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02682-1.
Obermeyer, Z., Powers, B., Vogeli, C., & Mullainathan, S. (2019). Dissecting racial bias in an algorithm used to manage the health of populations. Science, 366(6464), 447–453. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aax2342.
Tasca, G. A., Sylvestre, J., Balfour, L., Chyurlia, L., Evans, J., Fortin-Langelier, B., Francis, K., Gandhi, J., Huehn, L., Hunsley, J., Joyce, A. S., Kinley, J., Koszycki, D., Leszcz, M., Lybanon-Daigle, V., Mercer, D., Ogrodniczuk, J. S., Presniak, M., Ravitz, P., & Wilson, B. (2015). What clinicians want: Findings from a psychotherapy practice research network survey. Psychotherapy, 52(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038252.
Tasca, G. A., Angus, L., Bonli, R., Drapeau, M., Fitzpatrick, M., Hunsley, J., & Knoll, M. (2019). Outcome and progress monitoring in psychotherapy: Report of a Canadian Psychological Association Task Force. Canadian Psychology, 60(3), 165–177. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000181.
Wampold, B. E. (2015). How important are the common factors in psychotherapy? An update. World Psychiatry, 14(3), 270–277. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20238.
Westwood, S., Morison, L., Allt, J., & Holmes, N. (2017). Predictors of emotional exhaustion, disengagement and burnout among improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) practitioners. Journal of Mental Health, 26(2), 172–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2016.1276540.
Youn, S., Jaso, B., Eyllon, M., Sah, P., Hoyler, G., Barnes, J. B., Jarama, K., Murillo, L., O’Dea, H., Orth, L., Pennine, M., Rogers, E., Welch, G., & Nordberg, S. S. (2024, this issue). Leveraging implementation science to integrate digital mental health interventions as part of routine care in a practice research network. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Youn, S. J., Boswell, J. F., Douglas, S., Harris, B., Aajmain, S., Arnold, K. T., Creed, T. A., Gutner, C., Orengo-Aguayo, R., Oswald, J. M., & Stirman, S. W. (2024, this issue). Implementation science and practice-oriented research: Convergence and complementarity. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Tasca, G.A. The Promise and Challenges of Practice-Oriented Research: A Commentary on the Special Issue. Adm Policy Ment Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-024-01370-6
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-024-01370-6