Enhancing the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design: Bridging the research-practice gap

Area of Science:

• Psychotherapy research
• Social science research
• Qualitative research methods

Background:

• Systematic case study designs are gaining traction in psychotherapy and social science.
• These designs emphasize sensitivity to context and idiographic causal processes.
• The hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED) is presented as a key strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for and describe innovations in the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED).
• To illustrate HSCED's application in investigating therapy efficacy with new populations and emerging therapies.
• To highlight HSCED's potential for practice-based research and bridging the research-practice gap.

Main Methods:

• The study details innovations applied to HSCED, including integrating therapists as case developers.
• It describes incorporating multiple cases within a single investigation.
• Tailoring the repertoire of assessment tools was also a key methodological development.

Main Results:

• Innovations enhance HSCED's sensitivity to context and idiographic details.
• These developments allow for the investigation of therapy efficacy in diverse settings.
• HSCED is shown to complement traditional single-case designs by incorporating contextual factors.

Conclusions:

• HSCED offers a robust framework for psychotherapy and social science research.
• The described innovations strengthen its capacity to capture nuanced causal processes.
• HSCED holds significant potential for practice-based research and reducing the research-practice divide.