Citation

Osatuke K, Stiles WB. Theory Psychol. 2011; 21(2): 200-219.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0959354310391352

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We describe the assimilation model, a developmental theory of psychological change that focuses on interpretive study of people's experience in therapy. Assimilation research relies on methods that are simultaneously interpretive and quantitative, and uses them in mutually complementary ways. We explain how quantitative techniques have been useful in research on the model. We give examples of numeric techniques and their uses in specific studies that included helping establish reliability of interpretive accounts of clients' change, investigating substantive issues of theoretical interest, testing hypotheses about the model, and formulating clinical implications of assimilation concepts. These procedures quantify our understanding of people's subjective experience of change in therapy and rely on contextual interpretation of meanings. These examples illustrate and advocate the use of numeric properties for the purposes of contextual interpretive inquiry.