Research

There is extensive robust scientific evidence that psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy is an effective way of treating a large range of mental health difficulties in adulthood (Shedler, 2010).  An ever-growing equivalent evidence base is building a similarly robust argument for the effectiveness of child and adolescent psychotherapy.  For further information about the existing evidence base or about new and emerging research, please click on one of the links on the left.

Since August 2009, NSCAP has also been developing a comprehensive series of research programmes to support, evaluate and extend the other activities of the school in child and adolescent psychotherapy.  At the heart of these programmes and activities is an aim to establish a culture of research-mindedness at NSCAP, where trainees and staff actively engage in the use and implementation of, and participate in, research and evaluation, and make use of it in their professional practice.

A number of initiatives and projects are being implemented through NSCAP’s R&D function to instil in trainees a multidisciplinary and broad understanding of the importance of research in healthcare.  These include the redesign of taught research modules, significant input into the research and evaluation projects undertaken by doctoral students, and offering ongoing support to trainees in their clinical posts to implement research and evaluation projects.  In the past year, NSCAP has supported several trainees (and in some cases, their psychotherapist colleagues in their service) to undertake pathway mapping exercises, implement outcome measures and become involved in service-wide evaluation initiatives.