Bridging the gap between clinical practice and research: An integrated practice-oriented model

This paper addresses the gap between clinical practice and clinical researc h. Adopting a postmodern neopragmatic position, a practice-oriented researc h model is proposed. This model cuts across the division between paradigmat ic and narrative approaches to clinical practice research and integrates qu antitative and qualitative research methodologies. Four guiding principles are operationalized: (1) clinical research should focus on practice-oriente d questions, with the practitioner involved in agenda setting and research question formulation; (2) the division between empiricist and constructivis t positions and that between quantitative and qualitative methods can be re solved through epistemological and methodological pluralism; (3) clinical r esearch should be guided by a developmental perspective; and (4) collaborat ion between practitioners and researchers has to take place both on the pro gram and the institutional levels.