Science-Informed Practice in Canadian Professional Psychology: Factors Associated with Clinicians' Scientific Skills and Attitudes

• Author / Creator

  Gower, Heather K.

• Foundational to professional psychology, the scientist-practitioner model encourages a scientific approach to practice, strengthening clinical work with the best available research evidence. However, troubling research shows inadequate training in research and science, and low engagement with science-based practice among psychologists. Considering the myriad ways that unscientific practice can worsen outcomes for clients, the extent to which psychologists are scientifically literate and research-informed impacts responsible client care. Despite the rationale and codified ethical imperatives for science-informed practice, there appears to be little research on this topic among Canadian psychologists. The present research reviews the rationale for and components of science-informed practice and presents a self-developed survey instrument for measuring critical thinking skills, science-informed practice attitudes, and clinician demographics. Three hundred and thirty-one psychologists and counsellors from across Canada completed the survey. Training level, training type, and licensure type were associated with science-informed practice attitudes and critical thinking scores. Being a psychologist, being trained in clinical psychology, and having a doctorate all predicted higher critical thinking and attitude scores. Scientific attitude was the strongest predictor of critical thinking, followed by licensure type (i.e., psychologist or counsellor). Item-level results indicated various strengths and weaknesses in Canadian clinicians’ endorsements of science-informed practice attitude and embodiment of science-informed practice skills and knowledge. Professional identity among counsellors and psychologists may be less clear than often posited and may contain tensions that work against a robust scientific foundation. Results from this research have implications for clients, clinicians, training programs, regulatory bodies, and the public at large. This research calls for stronger ongoing research to assess the scientific literacy of Canadian clinicians.
  Moreover, this research encourages improvement in the robustness of training and regulatory mechanisms for producing science-informed professionals.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • science-informed practice
  • scientific competency
  • critical thinking skills
  • counselling psychology
  • psychologist regulation
  • psychologist education
  • science literacy
  • evidence-based practice
  • professional psychology

• Graduation date

  Fall 2023

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-411e-bn69

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.