The Scientist-Practitioner Model

            The Scientist-Practitioner Model is also known as the Boulder model.  It was defined in 1949 at the Boulder Conference on Graduate Education in Clinical Psychology in Boulder, Colorado to include training in psychological assessment and treatment protocols to clinical doctoral programs that relied on evidence based protocols (Hofman, 2013).  This model allows for the counselor to be both a trained researcher and skilled practitioner.  The counselor can use their clinical practice to gather research and employ evidence based therapies to couples and individuals rather than relying on their own perception (The scientist practitioner model, 2016).

            Dr. John Gottman founded the Family Research Lab, aka “The Love Lab” at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.  He uses his observations of 30 years to create realistic advice for couples (The Gottman Institute, 2008).  The process takes several hours and couples are interviewed separately about their marriage.  They meet with researchers to complete an oral history interview and share stories of how they met.  Dr. Gottman observed that couples who have warm memories of how they met tend to have stronger relationships (The Gottman Institute, 2008).  The interviews are being recorded, and a team of researchers are “back stage” analyzing their observations.  The researchers use Buehlman’s coding system to measure items such as fondness and admiration, degree of connection, and negativity.  During a conflict discussion, couples’ vital signs are monitored and the amount they fidget in their chair is measured by what the researchers have named the jiggleometer (The Gottman Institute, 2008).  The data is analyzed and presented to Dr. Gottman who meets with the couple in his office.  He has used his research to identify the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling) which signal the end of a relationship (The Gottman Institute, 2008).  Using this information, he can employ evidence based strategies to bring couples back together.

            I can use the scientist-practitioner model in my current practice to help determine the role family support plays in inmate recidivism.  Many of our clients have regular visitation with family members on the weekends while many of them do not.  I could also use the information provided by Dr. Gottman’s research to identify the inmates and their spouses who could have the best chance at success when they are released.   This can be used to develop an evidence based intervention on their treatment plan to prepare them for their release months before it occurs.

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Reference

Hofman, S. G. (2013). Bridging the theory-practice gap by getting even bolder with the Boulder model. Behavior Therapy, 44, 603-608.

The Gottman Institute. (2008, September 9). The Love Lab [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oB6zNcLIH0

The scientist practitioner model. (2016). Retrieved March 23, 2017 from https://learn.liberty.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-16544174-dt-content-rid-144967205_1/courses/COUN515_D55_201720/iSpring%20Presentations/Module%2001/Mod%2001%20-%20Scientist%20Practitioner%20%28LMS%29/res/index.html