2. Conducting Research in
Clinical Psychology
• Why do clinical psychologists do research?
Treatment outcome
Assessment methods
Diagnostic issues
Professional issues
Teaching and training issues
3. • Efficacy
The success of a particular therapy in a
controlled study conducted with clients
who meet specific criteria.
In short, how well a therapy works “in
the lab.”
Research on Treatment
Outcome
4. • Effectiveness
The success of a therapy in actual clinical settings in
which client problems are not limited to predetermined
criteria.
In short, how well a therapy works “in the real world.”
1995 Consumer Reports survey of readers is an example
Generally positive toward psychotherapy, but scientific rigor
is questionable
Research on Treatment
Outcome
5. Research on Treatment
Outcome
• Statistical vs. Clinical (“real world”)
Significance.
• Statistical significance doesn’t
necessarily mean clinical significance.
6. • Internal validity
The extent to which change in the DV is due to
change in the IV.
Generally high in efficacy studies.
• External validity
Generalizability of result.
Generally high in effectiveness studies.
Research on Treatment
Outcome
7. Research on Assessment
Methods
Examples can include:
Validation or expanded use of assessment tools.
Establishing psychometric data for assessment
tools.
Comparing multiple assessment tools to each
other.
Others
8. Research on Diagnostic
Issues
Examples can include:
Examine reliability or validity of diagnostic
constructs.
Examine relationships between disorders.
Prevalence or course of disorders.
Others
9. Research on Professional
Issues
Examples can include psychologists’:
Beliefs
Activities
Practices
Other aspects of their professional lives
10. Research on Teaching and
Training Issues
Examples can include:
Training philosophies
Specific coursework
Opportunities for specialized training
Outcome of training efforts
Comparison to training in similar disciplines
Others
11. How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
1. The Experimental Method
Observation of events
Hypothesis
Define independent and dependent variables
Empirically test the hypothesis
Alter hypothesis as necessary per results
12. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
2. Quasi-experiments
Used in place of true experiments when
practical, ethical, or other issues limit
manipulations.
Less scientifically sound than true
experiments, but common in clinical
psychology.
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
13. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
3. Between-group Designs
Participants in different conditions receive entirely
different treatments.
Often, an experimental condition vs. a control group.
4. Within-group Designs
Compare participants in a single condition to selves at
different points in time.
5. Mixed-group Designs
Combination of between- and within-group.
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
14. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
6. Analogue Designs
Used when actual clinical populations or
situations can’t be accessed.
An approximation or simulation of the
“real thing.”
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
15. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
7. Correlational Designs
Examine relationship between two or
more variables.
Causality cannot be determined.
Often used when experimental or quasi-
experimental designs are not feasible.
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
16. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
8. Case Studies
Detailed examination of a single person or
situation; often very clinically relevant.
Often qualitative rather than quantitative.
Demonstrates the idiographic approach to
research (vs. nomothetic approach).
Can inspire more systematic research.
ABAB design is one example.
Alternately apply and remove a treatment.
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
17. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
9. Meta-analysis
Statistical method of combining results of
separate studies into a single summary
finding.
Findings are translated into effect sizes.
Can quantitatively capture the trends of many
individual studies.
Examples include meta-analyses of
psychotherapy outcome.
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
18. How Do Clinical Psychologists
Do Research? (cont.)
10. Cross-sectional Designs
Compare participants at a single point in time.
More efficient than longitudinal designs.
11. Longitudinal Designs
Compare participants at different points in time.
Less efficient than cross-sectional designs, but
can be more valid in assessing change across
time.
How Do Clinical
Psychologists Do Research?
19. Ethical Issues in Research
in Clinical Psychology
Numerous APA ethical standards specifically
address research:
Obtain informed consent
Don’t coerce participation
Use deception only when justified and necessary
Minimize harm to participants
Don’t fabricate or falsify data
Assign authorship appropriately
Share data with other researchers for verification