Why do psychotherapists participate in psychotherapy research and why not? Results of the Attitudes to Psychotherapy Research Questionnaire with a sample of experienced German psychotherapists

Objective: Psychotherapy research needs to convince psychotherapists to contribute their time and effort to participate. The present paper describes the development and first results of the Attitudes to Psychotherapy Research Questionnaire (APRQ). Method: The APRQ and additional qualitative questions about exclusion criteria for participation were filled out by a sample of 365 therapists (psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioral) during an Internet-based research survey. Results: A principle component analysis yielded six factors: Benefits, Damage, Legitimation, Self-doubt, Effectiveness Doubt and External Reasons. Age, external reasons and benefits predicted willingness to participate independent of therapeutic school. Discussion: Results show a changing trend to more positive attitudes to psychotherapy research. To be willing to participate in future research, therapists expected high quality designs, financial compensation, and personal gains.