Making Research Relevant

Making Research Relevant is the ideal core textbook for master's-level introduction to research methods courses in any mental health field. Accessible and user friendly, it is designed to help trainees and practitioners understand, connect, and apply research to clinical practice and day-to-day work with students and clients. The text covers foundational concepts, such as research ethics, the consumption of research, and how to analyze data, as well as an additional 11 applied, evaluative, and outcome-based research methods that can be applied in practice. Easy to read, conversational chapters are infused with case examples from diverse settings, paired with brief video lectures and a practice-based application section which provide vignettes and practice to guide application and visual components that demonstrate how research methods can benefit mental health practitioners in real-world scenarios.

Kelly L. Wester, PhD, is a professor of counselor education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has taught graduate courses in research and provided worksh ops on research methodology. Carrie A. Wachter Morris, PhD, is a professor of counselor education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and past president of the Association of Assessment and Research in Counseling.

1. Introduction 2. Understanding Existing Literature 3. Research Ethics in Practice 4. Evaluating and Designing Surveys 5. Quantitative Data Analysis and Interpretation 6. Case Study 7. Using Single-Case Research Designs to Evaluate Outcomes 8. Using Correlational and Casual-Comparative Designs in Practice: Exploring Relations Among Client Variables 9. Quasi-Experimental Methods 10. Randomized Controlled Trials 11. Content Analysis 12. Phenomenological Methodology: Merging Research and Practice 13. Photovoice 14. Mixed-Methods Research 15. Bringing It All Together: Effective Program Evaluation