From single-case studies to practice-based knowledge: aggregating and synthesizing case studies.
Recent developments in case study methodology reflect a rising interest that clinicians and researchers share in building a clinically useful and empirically sound knowledge base from single-case studies. The present article describes three types of single-case studies (clinical, experimental, systematic) and examines their potential contributions to psychotherapy research. It then lays out three ways in which single-case studies can be aggregated and synthesized to enhance clinical understanding: (a) a case database that allows clinicians to efficiently search for relevant cases, (b) a metasynthesis of single-case studies that integrates common themes across similar cases, and (c) an individual case comparison method in which closely matched cases are compared to identify both therapeutic and hindering processes.
Iwakabe
Shigeru
S
Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan. siwakabe@mac.com
Gazzola
Nicola
N
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D011584:Psychology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*