Attitudes of U.S. Psychiatry Residencies About Personal Psychotherapy for Psychiatry Residents

Abstract

This study examined the current attitudes and policies of U.S. psychiatry residencies about psychotherapy for psychiatry residents. The survey was distributed to program directors and chief residents at 196 psychiatry residencies in the United States in 1995–1996. The author received 257 responses, representing 86% of all programs. Results are described and comparisons analyzed by contingency tests. Forty-two percent of U.S. psychiatry residencies recommended psychotherapy for residents, while a smaller percentage of residents engaged in therapy. The psychoanalytically oriented and other psychodynamic programs recommended therapy more often, had more residents in therapy, and perceived therapy as more helpful than the biologically oriented programs.