Practitioner Perspectives on Evidence-Based Practice: Toward a Model for Designing, Evaluating, and Disseminating Treatments with Research Support

Abstract

The widespread implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) into mental health settings will require a thorough understanding of the factors influencing practitioner adoption of these approaches. This project reports on the results of a series of empirical studies investigating practitioner attitudes toward EBP, preferences for treatment characteristics, predictors of EBP use, and preferences for treatment research dissemination outlets. The first study explored community mental health practitioner attitudes toward EBP using a focus group methodology and found that these practitioners (N = 19) indicated a number of challenges in implementing EBPs in their clinical work. Using a national survey of mental health practitioners (N = 206), the second study investigated practitioner preferences for various treatment characteristics and found that practitioners are more likely to use treatments that are flexible, supported in "real world" research studies, and are recommended by respected colleagues. Using the same sample, the third study examined potential predictors of practitioner use of EBPs, and aspects of practitioner training, clinical setting, and attitudes toward treatment research were found to be significant predictors. The fourth study asked practitioners to indicate where they obtain information about treatments and found that professional colleagues and supervisors were the most common sources of this information. Finally, the results of these studies are considered together and a model for designing, evaluating, and disseminating treatments with research support is presented. The proposed model highlights practitioner perspectives on EBP and attempts to integrate these perspectives into recommendations aimed at increasing the use of treatments with research support in applied settings.