title: Psychotherapists, researchers, or both? A qualitative analysis of psychotherapists' experiences in a practice research network.
abstract: This paper describes the experiences of psychotherapists who, as part of a practice research network (PRN), collaborated with researchers in designing and conducting a psychotherapy study within their own clinical practices. A qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with these psychotherapists led to the delineation of several benefits (e.g., learning information that improved their work with clients and feeling that they were contributing to research that would be useful for psychotherapists) and difficulties for them and their clients (e.g., time and effort required to integrate research protocol into routine clinical practice) that psychotherapists associated with their participation in the PRN. Also identified were a number of strategies used by psychotherapists to address obstacles that they encountered, as well as general recommendations for future PRN studies. As a whole, the experiences of these psychotherapists are likely to provide valuable lessons for the survival and growth of what is viewed by many as a promising pathway for building a stronger bridge between practice and research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Penn State University.
authors.forename: Louis G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Castonguay
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Penn State University.
authors.forename: Dana L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Child, Adult & Family Psychological Center.
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Boutselis
authors.affiliation: Child, Adult & Family Psychological Center.
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Chiswick
authors.affiliation: Counseling and Mental Health Center, University of Texas.
authors.forename: Diana D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Damer
authors.affiliation: Child, Adult & Family Psychological Center.
authors.forename: Neal A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hemmelstein
authors.affiliation: Child, Adult & Family Psychological Center.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Private Practice.
authors.forename: Marolyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morford
authors.affiliation: Child, Adult & Family Psychological Center.
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ragusea
authors.affiliation: Child, Adult & Family Psychological Center.
authors.forename: J Gowen
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Roper
authors.affiliation: Private Practice.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spayd
authors.affiliation: Counseling and Psychological Services, University of Georgia.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiszer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Penn State University.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Borkovec
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012108:Research Personnel; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires