"Trained as a biologist, I first did basic research then, after a doctorate in cognitive science, experimented with cognitive and behavioral therapy techniques; after medical studies, I now work as a freelance psychiatrist and psychotherapist. in the 6th arrondissement.

The subject of my talk is to explain how research works.

First of all, you have to define a context and objectives : why are you setting up a research program? to be more efficient in prescriptions for example...

If you have a publication objective, it is necessary to define a priori what type of public you are targeting and what type of readership you want to interest: scientific community of caregivers, community of biomedical research?

Scientific journals operate with English-language peer review panels that ask authors for a formatted outline, with an introduction that puts the research in context.

They also want information about the material and the method.

After examination of the results, there is discussion.

The editor then sends the documents to reviewers involved in the same field; the latter generally oppose refusals which can be major or minor.

Everything is then returned to the publisher, who asks the authors questions.

Why does a "paper" successfully pass all these stages?

Better to ask a single question, clearly explained in the introduction, and put it into perspective with current literature. Demonstrating that this question is THE question that needs to be asked at this precise moment is a major asset.

With regard to the material and the method, it is necessary to explain the approach, to insist on the interest of the results and to let foresee that these will make it possible to open the way to other research.

Your research objective is, if I understood correctly, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Palo Alto method in the field of systemic therapies and problem solving.

It may be useful to clarify the question and situate it in the context of a specific pathology to demonstrate its effectiveness in this pathology.

It will also be necessary to define inclusion and exclusion criteria in order to constitute homogeneous and representative populations.

What is meant by effectiveness is the number of patients treated compared to patients received, the speed of response, the a priori stability of the patient....

The gold standard in terms of study is the "controlled study"; it makes it possible to compare a group of patients treated or undergoing treatment with a "control group" which receives another therapy that has proven its effectiveness. The experiment can be carried out in a double-blind way, which means that the person receiving the treatment does not know which group he is in, or the person giving the treatment or evaluating it does not know which treatment has been received.

The question of measuring effectiveness is fundamental. 

Example of agoraphobia

One could imagine recruiting 60 patients in psychiatric consultation, giving them information and a consent form. There would be an evaluation at time T0 by the patient and a post-test orientation towards 2 groups. The first group would be treated according to the Palo Alto method, the other by cognitive behavioral therapies or medication.  

After the constitution of these T1 and T2 groups and their management, it would be appropriate to define a moment when the unblinding would occur.

 Beyond the global measurement scale 0Q452, specific measurements via self-questionnaires on fears, the mobility inventory, could be added. 

These self-assessment questionnaires, easy to increment in a web module, should be able to be used several times. "