Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Idiographic Voice in a Nomothetic World: Why Client Feedback Is Essential in Our Professional Knowledge

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Systemic Research in Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy and Counseling

Part of the book series: European Family Therapy Association Series ((EFTAS))

Abstract

Governmental requirements of making use of evidence-based treatments on one side, and the family therapy field’s pluralism on knowledge sources on the other, may create a dilemma for the systemic clinician. This dilemma has also an epistemological relevance on research within the systemic field, addressing which research questions are relevant and needed, as well as applying the appropriate research methodology suited to answer these questions. This dilemma is in this chapter viewed in the light of two domains of knowledge, idiographic and nomothetic, that again are discussed from two perspectives: the sources of knowledge defined in evidence-based practice, combined with three levels of evidence. Central in this discussion is the objective of user involvement by applying systematic feedback that is suggested as a means to integrate the nomothetic and idiographic levels of knowledge. Further, it is also discussed how user involvement may work constructively to the dilemma between professional autonomy and increased governmental requirements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Evidence Based Practice. (2006). Evidence-based practice in psychology. American Psychologist, 61, 271–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.61.4.271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, H. (2016). Postmodern/poststructural/social construction therapies. In T. L. Sexton & J. Lebow (Eds.), Handbook of family therapy (pp. 182–204). New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, T., Ogles, B. M., Patterson, C. L., Lambert, M. J., & Vermeersch, D. A. (2009). Therapist effects: Facilitative interpersonal skills as a predictor of therapist success. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(7), 755–768. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boswell, J. F., Kraus, D. R., Miller, S. D., & Lambert, M. J. (2015). Implementing routine outcome monitoring in clinical practice: Benefits, challenges, and solutions. Psychotherapy Research, 25, 6–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castonguay, L. G., & Muran, C. (2015). Fostering collaboration between researchers and clinicians through building practice-oriented research: An introduction. Psychotherapy Research, 25, 1–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, B., Miller, S., & Sparks, J. (2000). The heroic client. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, B. L., & Reese, R. J. (2013). Empirically supported treatments, evidence-based treatments, and evidence-based practice. In I. B. Winer (Ed.), Handbook of psychology (2nd ed., pp. 489–513). Hoboken, NJ: Wiely.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekeland, T.-J., Aurdal, Å., & Skjelten, I. M. (2014). Når staten vil være terapeut. Fokus på familien, 42, 139–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gondek, D., Edbrooke-Childs, J., Fink, E., Deighton, J., & Wolpert, M. (2016). Feedback from outcome measures and treatment effectiveness, treatment efficiency, and collaborative practice: A systematic review. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 43, 325–343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-015-0710-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gullestad, S. E. (2001). Hva er evidensbasert psykoterapi? Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening, 38, 942–951. ISSN 0332-6470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannan, C., Lambert, M. J., Harmon, C., Nielsen, S. L., Smart, D. W., Shimokawa, K., & Sutton, S. W. (2005). A lab test and algorithms for identifying clients at risk for treatment failure. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 61, 155–163. https://doi.org/10.2002/jclp.20108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heatherington, L., Friedlander, M. L., Diamond, G. M., Escudero, V., & Pinsof, W. M. (2015). 25 years of systemic therapies research: Progress and promise. Psychotherapy Research, 25, 348–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffart, A. (2017). Terapiforskningen trenger en ideografisk vending. Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening, 54(2), 210–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmquist, R., Phillips, B., & Barkham, M. (2015). Developing practice-based evidence: Benefits, challenges, and tensions. Psychotherapy Research, 25, 20–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2013.861093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, K. I., Moras, K., Brill, P. L., Martinovich, Z., & Lutz, W. (1996). Evaluation of psychotherapy. Efficacy, effectiveness and client progress. American Psychologist, 51, 1059–1064.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, M. J., Garfield, S. L., & Bergin, A. E. (2004). Overview, trends, and future issues. In M. J. Lambert (Ed.), Bergin and Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (5th ed., pp. 805–821). New York, NY: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lutz, W., De Jong, K., & Rubel, J. (2015). Patient-focused and feedback research in psychotherapy: Where are we and where do we want to go? Psychotherapy Research, 25(6), 625–632. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2015.1079661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHugh, R. K., & Barlow, D. H. (2012). Dissemination and implementation of evidence-based psychological interventions. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nissen-Lie, H. A., Monsen, J. T., Ulleberg, P., & Rønnestad, M. H. (2013). Psychotherapists’ self-reports of their interpersonal functioning and difficulties in practice as predictors of patient outcome. Psychotherapy Research, 23(1), 86–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2012.735775

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oanes, C. J., Karlson, B., & Borg, M. (2017). User involvement in therapy: Couples’ and family therapists’ lived experiences with the inclusion of a feedback procedure in clinical practice. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 38, 451–463. https://doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. (1975). American comedy-drama film directed by Miloš Forman, based on the 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinsof, W. M., & Lebow, J. L. (2005). A scientific paradigm for family psychology. In W. M. Pinsof & J. L. Lebow (Eds.), Family psychology. The art of science (pp. 3–19). New York, NY: Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinsof, W. M., & Wynne, L. C. (2000). Toward progress research: Closing the gap between family therapy practice and research. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 26, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohrbaugh, M. J. (2014). Old wine in new bottles. Decanting systemic family process research in the era of evidence-based practice. Family Process, 53, 434–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheier, M. F., & Carver, C. S. (2003). Goals and confidence as self-regulatory elements underlying health and illness behavior. In L. D. Cameron & H. Leventhal (Eds.), The self-regulation of health and illness behavior (pp. 17–41). London, UK: Taylor Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimokawa, K., Lambert, M. J., & Smart, D. (2010). Enhancing treatment outcome of patients at risk of treatment failure: Meta-analytic and mega-analytic review of a psychotherapy quality assurance system. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 298–311. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sundet, R. (2017). Feedback as means to enhance client-therapist interaction in therapy. In T. Tilden & B. E. Wampold (Eds.), Routine outcome monitoring in couple and family therapy. The empirically informed therapist (pp. 121–142). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tilden, T. (2017). How can I know whether my efforts are helpful for the client? Implementing feedback in Norway. In T. Tilden & B. E. Wampold (Eds.), Routine outcome monitoring in couple and family therapy. The empirically informed therapist (pp. 3–13). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tilden, T., & Wampold, B. E. (Eds.). (2017). Routine outcome monitoring in couple and family therapy. The empirically informed therapist. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulvestad, A. K., & Henriksen, A. K. (2007). I skyggen av elfenbenstårnet. In A. K. Ulvestad, A. K. Henriksen, A.-G. Tuseth, & T. Fjeldstad (Eds.), Klienten – den glemte terapeut. Brukerstyring i psykisk helsearbeid (pp. 20–27). Oslo, Norway: Gyldendal Akademisk.

    Google Scholar 

  • Utvåg, K. M., Steinkopf, S., & Holgersen, H. (2014). Vilkår for klinisk autonomi og dens betydning for praksis. Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening, 51, 861–867.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walfish, S., McAlister, B., O’Donnell, P., & Lambert, M. J. (2012). An investigation of self-assessment bias in mental health providers. Psychological Reports, 110(2), 639–644. https://doi.org/10.2466/02.07.17.pr0.110.2.639-644

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wampold, B. E., & Imel, Z. E. (2015). The great psychotherapy debate: The research evidence for what works in psychotherapy (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (1986). http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/about/HPR%20Glossary%201998.pdf. Retrieved from internet April 26. 2018.

  • Zahl-Olsen, R., & Oanes, C. J. (2017). An anthill of questions that made me prepare for the first session. In T. Tilden & B. E. Wampold (Eds.), Routine outcome monitoring in couple and family therapy. The empirically informed therapist (pp. 121–142). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Modum Bad, Vikersund, Norway

    Terje Tilden

Authors
  1. Terje Tilden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terje Tilden .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Fulda, Germany

    Matthias Ochs

  2. University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen, Nordhausen, Germany

    Maria Borcsa

  3. University Clinic of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Jochen Schweitzer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Tilden, T. (2020). The Idiographic Voice in a Nomothetic World: Why Client Feedback Is Essential in Our Professional Knowledge. In: Ochs, M., Borcsa, M., Schweitzer, J. (eds) Systemic Research in Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy and Counseling. European Family Therapy Association Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36560-8_21

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation