Results from the Field: Development and Evaluation of a Psychiatry Residency Training Rotation in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies.

Abstract

The goal of this project was to develop and evaluate a new residency training rotation focused on cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) and to assess outcomes across multiple domains. Data are presented from 30 psychiatry residents. Primary learning-related outcomes included content knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitudes and behavioral intentions towards evidence-based psychotherapies (e.g., CBT). Residents reported significant increases in CBT knowledge, CBT-specific self-efficacy, overall psychotherapy self-efficacy, belief in patient benefit from CBT, and behavioral intention to use CBT. However, there were almost no changes in attitudes towards evidence-based practice more broadly, with one significant finding showing an increase in skepticism towards such practices. This empirically based example of training program development, implementation, and evaluation appears largely successful and represents one approach for addressing the CBT competency goals outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Milestone Project Guidelines. Despite these initial, positive findings, conclusions should be tempered by limitations of the project design (e.g., the lack of comparison group, absence of objective measures of resident behavioral change, or assessment of the effect of such changes on patient outcomes). Findings highlight the need for continued development and evaluation of training methods in CBT for residency programs.