How does the Foundation promote research literacy?

The Massage Therapy Research Curriculum Kit (Dryden & Achilles, 2003, p.1) distinguishes between research literacy and research capacity in the following way: “Research literacy is the ability to find, understand, and critically evaluate research evidence for application in professional practice. Research capacity is the ability to conduct research.” The starting point, then, for becoming familiar with what research has to offer the massage therapy profession is at the level of becoming research literate. Several resources and services offered by the Massage Therapy Foundation for advancing research literacy are explained elsewhere on this web site. One example among many is the Massage Therapy Research Database that is maintained and continually updated by the Foundation.

Another way to view research literacy is to think in terms of the understanding and skills needed to become an informed and critical “consumer” of the research literature already available. Once this is accomplished, one would then have the option of continuing to refine those understandings and skills needed to function as an active researcher. At this point it may be helpful to think of research competency as including the understanding and skills needed to function as both a consumer of the available research literature and potentially as an active member of a research team (see, for example, Hymel, 2003).

Dryden, T., & Achilles, R. (2003). Massage therapy research curriculum kit. Evanston, IL: Massage Therapy Foundation.

Hymel, G. M. (2003). Advancing massage therapy research competencies: Dimensions for thought and action. Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies, 7(3), 194-199.