Burden of proof: the evidence clinicians require before implementing an intervention

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• Evidence-Based Practice Dissemination
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Growing emphasis on evidence-based practice (EBP) for children and adolescents.
• Need to identify effective dissemination strategies for community clinicians.
• Understanding clinician preferences for evidence types is crucial for EBP implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate clinician preferences for different types of evidence.
• To determine factors influencing the likelihood of using interventions based on evidence type.
• To inform strategies for improving EBP implementation in youth mental health.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 255 community clinicians.
• Assessment of likelihood to use interventions based on presented evidence.
• Analysis of preferences for case studies versus clinical trials.

Main Results:

• Case studies and clinical trials with active/placebo controls were most preferred evidence types.
• Positive attitudes toward EBP predicted preference for clinical trials.
• Attitudes toward EBP did not predict preference for case studies.

Conclusions:

• Disseminating case studies showcasing real-world use can enhance EBP implementation.
• Fostering greater clinician appreciation for research-derived interventions is necessary.
• Tailoring dissemination to clinician preferences may improve adoption rates.