C2:AD April Seminar

For the April C2:AD seminar, we will be hosting:

 Gary Brown ( Royal Holloway).

Measurement in psychotherapy outcome and process research: Old obstacles and new developments. 

The central challenge of clinical research is to translate findings from study samples that aggregate across individuals to the idiosyncratic needs of those seeking services. This depends critically on (1) valid and precise measurement and (2) parallel understandings of phenomena at the aggregate (sample and population) and individual levels.  Imprecision in measurement means results in the field are often simultaneously about everything and nothing (as reflected in the Dodo bird verdict and Meehl’s concept of “crud”). Neglect of measurement may be due in part to perpetuation of a behaviourism-influenced suspicion of what people report about their mental processes, in favour of indirect methods based on behavioural outputs for inferring subjective processes when, arguably, some of the most important phenomena focused upon in psychotherapy research are only ascertainable through self-report. At the same time, emulation of medical research and reification of the RCT has blocked progress that can only be gained through the study of the individual as a unit of analysis. Attempts to address this state of affairs will be reviewed and suggestions made for the direction future efforts in the field should take, utilising new methods and technology but also making full use of tried and true approaches.

Friday 5th April 2019

12.30 – 1.30

Herchel Smith Building on the Forvie site at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge  http://c2ad.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/location

Please note that no registration is required for this event, and that parking is limited.

Forvie Site, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, CB2 0QQ

Tel:01223 355294
DL:01223 273779


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