Psychology: Research and Review
Methodology | |
1. The rationale behind choosing the case study method | |
2. Description of research design and aims | |
3. Description of research participants, including: | |
3a. Patients/clients | |
3b. Therapists, clinical supervisors | |
3c. Researchers/data analysts (research team) | |
4. Description of research procedures, including: | |
4a. Evaluation of existing literature and research | |
4b. Data collection methods | |
4c. Data analysis methods | |
4d. Data triangulation procedures | |
4e. Research appraisal tools and instruments | |
5. Description of researchers’ reflexivity (awareness of the relationship between the researcher and research study), including: | |
5a. Research assumptions pertaining to objectives | |
5b. Research biases pertaining to data analysis | |
5c. Differentiation between assumptions and views made by different researchers/therapists | |
6. Description of research limitations, including: | |
6a. Congruity between research data and research aims and objectives | |
6b. Research appraisal and validity | |
7. Relevant ethical information, including: | |
7a. Patient’s informed consent | |
7b. Anonymisation of specific clinical material | |
Clinical components | |
8. Description of patient’s history, including: | |
8a. Demographics | |
8b. Cultural context | |
8c. Socio-economic context | |
8d. Interpersonal history (family and other relationships) | |
9. Description of patient’s clinical condition, including: | |
9a. Current and past diagnosis (with reference to DSM, ICD and other diagnostic manuals) | |
9b. Current and past symptoms and experiences | |
9c. Previously received treatment | |
9d. The use of medication | |
10. Description of patient’s problems through: | |
10a. Diagnostic tools (therapist’s assessment) | |
10b. Self–report questionnaires (patient’s self–assessment) | |
11. Description of course of therapy and treatment, including: | |
11a. Therapeutic modality | |
11b. Therapeutic setting (number of sessions, frequency, private/public practice) | |
11c. Therapeutic relationship | |
11d. Timeline of relevant treatment events/sessions | |
11e. Follow-up information | |
11f. Treatment outcomes | |
11g. Complicating factors | |
12. Description of clinical decision–making and reflexivity (awareness of the relationship between the therapist and the treatment process), including: | |
12a. Clinical assumptions pertaining to diagnosis | |
12b. Clinical biases pertaining to therapeutic techniques and interpretations (especially in relation to therapist’s therapeutic modality) | |
13. Description of therapist where relevant, including: | |
13a. Professional experience | |
13b. Demographics | |
13c. Cultural context | |
13d. Socio-economic context | |
Theory | |
14. Clear description of theoretical references and key concepts | |
15. Description of how clinical decision–making relates to the chosen theoretical framework | |
16. Clear statement of theoretical findings | |
17. Clear description of evidence for and limitations of the chosen theoretical framework, including: | |
17a. Validity (does the case study attend its research objectives and aims sufficiently? Do researchers use relevant theoretical concepts, clinical techniques and research methods?) | |
17b. Reliability (does the case study provide sufficient, detailed and reflexive information on how it arrived at its findings?) | |
18. Description of transferability of findings (relevance to other cases), including: | |
18a. Transferability to psychotherapy research | |
18b. Transferability to psychotherapy practice | |
18c. Relevance to policy in private and/or public healthcare | |
18d. Relevance to specific clinical population and setting |