Training in empirically validated treatments: What are clinical psychology students learning?

Abstract

Directors of clinical training (83%) and directors of internships with American Psychological Asso-ciation approval (55%) responded to a survey concerning empirically validated psychological treat-ments in which their students received training. Most programs provided supervised clinical experi-ence in a number of these treatments. However, over 20% of doctoral training programs failed toprovide minimal coverage of empirically validated treatments in didactic courses, and internshipprograms typically did not require that students be competent in any of these treatments beforecompletion of the program. The absence of didactic and clinical training in empirically validatedpsychodynamic therapies and interpersonal therapy was most marked. These findings suggest thatprograms need to be more attentive to teaching data-based treatments.PAUL CRITS-CHRISTOPH received his PhD in clinical psychology fromYale University in 1984. He is currently associate professor of psychol-ogy in psychiatry and director of the Center for Psychotherapy Researchat the University of Pennsylvania. At present he is studying the effects ofbrief dynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy for cocaine addic-tion and for generalized anxiety disorder and is examining the processof interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive therapy for depression.ELLEN FRANK received her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in1979. She is professor of psychiatry and psychology in the Departmentof Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Shedirects the Depression and Manic-Depression Prevention Program atWestern Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Her treatment research hasfocused on the prophylaxis of recurrent mood disorders using interper-sonal psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and their combination.DIANNE L. CHAMBLESS received her PhD in clinical psychology fromTemple University in 1979. She is currently professor of psychology atThe American University. She conducts research on the psychopathol-ogy and cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders and is par-ticularly interested in psychotherapy integration and the impact of in-terpersonal relationships on anxiety.CINDY BRODY received her BA in psychology from the University ofPennsylvania in 1991 and for 3 years was a research assistant at theCenter for Psychotherapy Research. She is currently a doctoral studentin clinical psychology at The American University. Her major researchinterests are in coping, interpersonal problems, and psychotherapy pro-cess and outcome.JORDAN F. KARP received his BA in psychology from Emory University in1992. He completed 2 years as a research associate in the Depression andManic-Depression Prevention Program at Western Psychiatric Instituteand Clinic. He is currently a medical student at the University ofPittsburgh.WE THANK David Barlow, Barry Wolfe, and Division 12 for assistance