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. 2024 May;51(3):336-347.
doi: 10.1007/s10488-023-01296-5. Epub 2023 Aug 30.

Implementation Science and Practice-Oriented Research: Convergence and Complementarity

Soo Jeong Youn  1 , James F Boswell  2 , Susan Douglas  3 , Bethany A Harris  2 , Syed Aajmain  2 , Kimberly T Arnold  4 , Torrey A Creed  5 , Cassidy A Gutner  6 , Rosaura Orengo-Aguayo  7 , Jennifer M Oswald  8 , Shannon Wiltsey Stirman  9
Affiliations

Implementation Science and Practice-Oriented Research: Convergence and Complementarity

Soo Jeong Youn et al. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2024 May.

Abstract

Implementation science is the scientific study of methods to promote the uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices in routine care, with the goal of improving the quality and effectiveness of health services (Bauer et al., 2015). In addition to this common goal, practice-oriented psychotherapy research (and researchers) and implementation science (and scientists) share a common focus on the people and the places where treatment happens. Thus, there exists strong potential for combining these two approaches. In this article, we provide a primer on implementation science for psychotherapy researchers and highlight important areas and examples of convergence and complementarity between implementation science and practice-oriented psychotherapy research. Specifically, we (a) define and describe the core features of implementation science; (b) discuss similarities and areas of complementarity between implementation science and practice-oriented psychotherapy research; (c) discuss a case example that exemplifies the integration of implementation science and practice-oriented research; and (d) propose directions for future research and collaborations that leverage both implementation science and practice-oriented research.

Keywords: Evidence-based practice; Implementation science; Practice-based evidence; Practice-oriented research.

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References

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