Abstract：
Objective: The use of qualitative methods for investigating causation has been controversial ever since the \"paradigm wars\" of the 1980s. Quantitative and experimental researchers have largely dismissed the relevance of qualitative research for causal investigations, while many qualitative researchers have rejected the concept of causation entirely. However, a growing number of scholars, in both research methods and philosophy, have proposed an alternative perspective, one that sees quantitative and qualitative approaches as having complementary strengths and limitations in understanding causation. In this article, we consider this perspective in relation to the study of causality in psychotherapy research. Method: This paper reviews and integrates key descriptions of the mechanisms for identifying causal processes using qualitative research. Results: An overview of how qualitative methods study causation is presented, considering its implications for both identifying causality and for generalizing causal conclusions. Conclusion: The paper holds relevance for establishing outcomes caused by psychotherapy treatments and for developing clinical practice guidance for the field.
摘要：
目的：自1980年代的“范式战争”以来，使用定性方法来调查因果关系一直存在争议。定量和实验研究人员在很大程度上否认了定性研究与因果调查的相关性，虽然许多定性研究人员完全拒绝了因果关系的概念。然而,越来越多的学者,在研究方法和哲学上，提出了另一种观点，一种认为定量和定性方法在理解因果关系方面具有互补的优势和局限性。在这篇文章中,我们认为这种观点与心理治疗研究中的因果关系研究有关。方法：本文回顾并整合了使用定性研究识别因果过程的机制的关键描述。结果：概述了定性方法如何研究因果关系，考虑其对识别因果关系和概括因果结论的影响。结论：本文对建立由心理治疗引起的结果以及为该领域制定临床实践指导具有重要意义。
