title: SCIRehab Project series: the psychology taxonomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The integration of psychologists as members of the rehabilitation team has occurred in conjunction with the evolution and adoption of interdisciplinary teams as the standard of care in spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation. Although the value of psychological services during rehabilitation is endorsed widely, specific interventions and their association with patient outcomes have not been examined adequately.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To address this shortcoming, psychologists from 6 SCI centers collaborated to develop a psychology intervention taxonomy and documentation framework.
  
  
  METHODS
  Utilizing an interactive process, the lead psychologists from 6 centers compiled an inclusive list of patient characteristics assessed and interventions delivered in routine psychological practice at the participating rehabilitation facilities. These were systematically grouped, defined, and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The resulting taxonomy became the basis of a documentation framework utilized by psychologists for the study. The psychology taxonomy includes 4 major clinical categories (assessment, psychotherapeutic interventions, psychoeducational interventions, and consultation) with 5 to 10 specific activities in each category.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Examination of psychological interventions and their potential association with positive outcomes for persons who sustain SCI requires the development of a taxonomy. Results of these efforts illustrate similarities and differences in psychological practice among SCI centers and offer the opportunity to blend research and clinical practice in an innovative approach to evidence-based practice improvement. The established taxonomy provides a basic framework for future studies on the effect of psychological interventions.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Toby
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huston
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koval
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwebel
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gassaway
mesh_terms: D002965:Classification; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D011584:Psychology / Q000145:classification* / Q000379:methods*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*