title: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice in Mental Health Service Settings: An Overview of Developments in Implementation Theory and Research.
abstract: Twenty years after Sobell's (1996) influential call to integrate advances in behavior therapy into clinical settings, significant progress has been made in implementation science. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of implementation research findings and highlight recent findings that can inform efforts to bridge the gap between research and practice in mental health service settings. Key findings are summarized, organized according to levels of influence described in two implementation frameworks: The Exploration, Planning, Implementation, and Sustainment Framework (EPIS; Aarons et al., 2011) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR; Damschroder et al., 2009). Important levels of influence to consider when implementing new treatments include the outer context, inner context, characteristics of the individual, and characteristics of the innovation. Research on strategies to prepare clinicians to deliver evidence-based psychosocial treatments (EBPTs) and to address contextual barriers to implementation at each level is described, with discussion of implications for the implementation of EBPTs and next steps for research.
authors.affiliation: National Center for PTSD, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Stanford University. Electronic address: sws1@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Shannon Wiltsey
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Stirman
authors.affiliation: National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System; Boston University.
authors.forename: Cassidy A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gutner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Langdon
authors.affiliation: Salem State University.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*
keywords: dissemination; evidence-based psychotherapy; implementation