Taking the Science Out of Social Science

By Michelle Jurkiewicz, Summer 2010

Graduate psychology programs, PsyD programs particularly, are often criticized for providing students with poor training in scientific methods and for neglecting to focus on Evidence-Based Practices. Some argue that clinicians who base their interventions on clinical experience rather than on scientific evidence are providing ineffective services. In an article entitled Ignoring the Evidence: Why Do Psychologists Reject Science?, published in October of 2009 in Newsweek, some psychologists go a step further to demand that clinicians implement a new “science-based accreditation program” so that clients are assured “the best interventions that science has to offer” when visiting a psychologist.

One such article published by The Washington Post in November of 2009, Is your therapist a little behind the times?, offers the example that only about 15% of psychologists utilize Exposure Therapy when treating PTSD, even though empirical research has demonstrated its efficacy. However, I question if this research means that Exposure Therapy should be the treatment of choice for the returning war veteran, the 10-year-old survivor of chronic abuse, and for the Haiti earthquake survivor. Is it not poor practice to reduce an individual’s unique experiences, culture, and current situation to a mere diagnosis, and then treat that diagnosis rather than treat the person? Are the lives and suffering that people experience empirically measurable?

While I think most psychologists agree that scientific research is critical for the advancement of field, I do not agree that it is the only standard to determine the best practices in psychotherapy.

I did not choose to pursue an advanced degree in psychology because it is a pure science. Instead, I am drawn to the complexity and ambiguity of the human condition, which is rarely so easily measured. I think it is important that psychology does not diverge toward pure empirical science, which would serve to further divide research from clinical practice. Instead, I hope to see psychologists and students-in-training continue to bridge the gap between research and practice while simultaneously valuing both.

Effective psychotherapy practice requires learning from our patients and from our own experiences as much as it requires learning from science.

Do you disagree with this opinion? Want to comment on other articles? Join the discussion online at TheVoiceOfAlliant.com forums. -Ed