Factors impacting trauma treatment practice patterns: the convergence/divergence of science and practice
Abstract
Objective This study surveyed the practice patterns of behavioral health providers to determine the degree to which providers in this study utilized evidence-based approaches when dealing with traumatized individuals and the extent to which these practice methods vary as a result of population density or provider characteristics.Method A survey instrument was designed specifically for this study. The Trauma Practices Questionnaire (TPQ) a 22-item trauma treatment practice utilization scale was mailed to all licensed or certified behavioral health providers in a southern state (N=5752). Responses of 1121 professionals who represent seven disciplines are reported.Results Gender and the acquisition of specialized trauma training impacted the way providers practice. Discipline-specific differences became statistically nonsignificant when controlling for gender. Several areas of guideline convergence were uncovered (e.g. the frequent use of CBT) as well as practices that were divergent from best practice recommendations, especially with regards to the use of psychopharmacological interventions.Conclusions Results highlight issues related to translational research dissemination and training practices, as well as factors that might affect clinician's acceptance of and compliance with evidence-based practices.
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Female therapists are more likely to use unevidenced eclectic practice.
“there is some evidence that female therapists are more likely to use unevidenced eclectic practice”
From Therapist drift redux: Why well-meaning clinicians fail to deliver evidence-based therapy, and how to get back on track (2016) · cites this paper as Sprang et al., 2008
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- Authors
- Sprang, G., Craig, C., & Clark, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Kentucky (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sprang, Ginny
- Venue
- Journal of Anxiety Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 162-174
- ISSN
- 0887-6185 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2128450215
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 4.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Anxiety Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- trauma treatment, evidence-based practice, behavioral health providers, clinical practice patterns, research-practice gap, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychopharmacological interventions, trauma training, gender differences, translational research, clinical guidelines, trauma-informed care
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Behavioral Medicine, Clonidine, Female, Health Services Research, Humans, Male, Practice Patterns, Physicians', Physicians, Family, Population Density, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychotropic Drugs, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rural Population, Science, Sex Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Urban Population, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Logistic Models, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Stress Disorders, Traumatic
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