Psychology Doctoral Training Research Articles

Exploring considerations of equality, diversity and inclusion in selection for a doctorate in clinical psychology programme: A qualitative study

Diverse and inclusive healthcare workforces are important to optimise patient access and outcomes. Various attempts have been made to promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in clinical psychology; however, clinical psychology doctoral training programmes (DClinPsy) frequently fail to reflect the population demographics of the communities that they serve within the make-up of their trainees. Some research indicates that the lack of diversity might be linked to potential biases within the selection process.This study seeks to qualitatively explore how application screeners and interview panellists for a DClinPsy programme consider EDI in the selection process. Content analysis of seven semi-structured interviews suggests that participants think broadly about EDI, considering differences between marginalised groups and the provision of equal access for members of these groups. Content analysis of discussions of protected characteristics suggests that, when considering EDI, race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status prove more salient than other factors such as age, and religion or belief.Barriers and facilitators to accessing the DClinPsy are discussed. Participants discuss the perceived inadequacy of EDI training for their roles in selection, and conflicts related to different EDI measures such as positive action and standardisation. The findings are discussed with reference to existing literature. Future research should seek to examine the EDI training needs of those involved in the selection process and examine the efficacy of EDI initiatives to improve equity and inclusion for underrepresented groups.

Who will stay and who will go? Identifying risk factors for psychotherapy dropout

AbstractObjectiveDropout from psychotherapy remains an issue across various treatment modalities and psychological disorders, with roughly 20% of clients failing to complete treatment. Dropping out of psychotherapy is associated with worse psychological and physical health outcomes. This study aimed to use a clinically generalisable definition of dropout to identify risk factors for dropping out of psychotherapy.MethodRetrospective chart review methods were used to collect data on 203 clients seen at a community‐based clinical psychology doctoral training clinic.ResultsIndependent samples t‐tests and chi‐squared tests for independence indicated that clients who dropped out of psychotherapy were more likely to be non‐students, live farther away from the treatment clinic and no‐show at least once in the first four sessions of therapy.DiscussionTo address dropout risk, it is important that clinicians be attuned to possible indicators of structural and motivational barriers to treatment engagement.

'The Relentless Nature of Whiteness': Black Psychologists' Experiences of Racial Microaggressions in Cross-Cultural Supervision.

Research suggests that cross-cultural supervision can be prone to microaggressions with deleterious effects for ethno-racial minorities. There are currently no known studies examining the impact of racial microaggressions in supervision on qualified psychologists. This study aimed to explore Black psychologists' experiences of microaggressions in supervision with a White supervisor and their impact. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 individuals who had completed clinical or counselling psychology doctoral training. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes and 12 subthemes were derived from the analysis. The superordinate themes were: 'It's the subtle things', 'It's an ordeal' and 'Surviving Whiteness in psychology'. The findings illustrate the complex nature of racial microaggressions and their profound and lasting impact on individuals. The cumulative impact of these experiences resulted in significant negative psychological outcomes. The results suggest that there are common microaggressions that recur in supervision. Encountering microaggressions impeded the supervisory relationship, supervision and professional development. Clinical implications include recommendations for including multicultural competency in psychology trainings and ongoing professional development plans.

Exploring trainee perspectives on barriers and facilitators in serious mental illness doctoral training.

Although there have been momentous and critical advancements in serious mental illness (SMI) psychology doctoral training models and competencies, there is still much systemic change needed to increase access to evidence-based SMI training for psychologists. In the last decade, there has been little to no growth or expansion of SMI training opportunities in clinical psychology doctoral programs in the United States, and psychologists are underrepresented in serving clients with SMI. As trainees and trainers committed to careers in SMI, the contributors aimed to identify barriers and facilitators throughout each stage of the SMI doctoral training pathway, including pregraduate school, graduate school, and internship to reflect critically on systemic issues that have impeded trainees from accessing the appropriate tools for SMI training. This conceptual article reviews the existing literature on barriers and facilitators to accessing SMI training. In centering trainee perspectives, the contributors also reflect on their own experiences through brief narratives illustrating the barriers and facilitators they have faced across training stages with existing empirical research. Recommendations made by the contributors include increasing access to financial support and mechanisms, diversifying departments and practicum sites to include SMI-focused training, and people in positions of power advocating for and centering trainee voices in departmental training decisions and development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

"What will you do after?": Lessons from Academia and the World Beyond.

Determining post-PhD career options is a challenge for many Psychology PhD graduates. Here I provide a comprehensive overview of the diverse career trajectories available to graduates, drawing from interviews with 53 PhD graduates conducted as part of the two-volume Academia and the World Beyond book series. From these, I conducted a hierarchical qualitative classification to categorise and characterise potential career paths. The findings reveal a spectrum of opportunities, from traditional academic roles to "academic adjacent" and "skill-transfer" careers. This work underscores the versatility of Psychology doctoral training, providing skills that can support a wide array of career possibilities. The results serve as a guide for current and prospective PhD students-and their mentors-emphasising the variety of professional contexts where doctoral training is beneficial.

The impact of expert by experience involvement in teaching in a DClinPsych programme; for trainees and experts by experience.

There is a growing acknowledgement of the value of creating partnerships between those delivering and those accessing health services. Less is known about this in the context of clinical psychology doctoral training programmes. This study explores the models of involvement of experts by experience (EbEs) in teaching on a DClinPsych course in England; the impact of this both for EbEs and trainee clinical psychologists and whether improvements are required to better meet their needs. An audit of current involvement was conducted by reviewing course records. Two survey questionnaires designed around commonly used frameworks of participation and reflective learning were completed by EbEs and trainees. Thematic Analysis was used to evaluate the written feedback from the surveys. Records of current EbE involvement were found to be lacking in detail and sometimes missing. Key themes extrapolated from the surveys highlighted the importance of EbE involvement in supporting the wellbeing of EbEs and the learning experiences of trainees. Recommendations with regard to the processes for future involvement of EbEs in teaching are put forward. A carer of a service user was consulted about the design of the participant information sheet, consent form and the survey questionnaire which was sent to the EbEs. A trainee clinical psychologist was also consulted to provide a trainee perspective on the above forms and the survey questionnaire that was sent to trainees. Further to this, the first author's supervisor identifies as a user of physical and mental health services and provided continued supervision and support regarding the direction of the study including the research questions, design, methodology and interpretation of results.

Amidst the Chaos: Developing a Counseling Psychologist Identity during Ongoing Social Unrest

Abstract In this reflection paper we discuss the complex challenge of undergoing Counseling Psychology doctoral training as gender expansive women of color during times of great sociopolitical unrest in the United States (U.S.). We consider how via insider status, we are uniquely impacted by engagement in clinical and research work with diverse communities that face ongoing threats to their social and psychological well-being. However, our insider positions are rarely considered in our training experiences. We argue that the field of Counseling Psychology must make a concerted effort to center the voices of students with minoritized identities or runs the risk of engaging in White supremacist practices. We end with recommendations for how Counseling Psychology can better consider and address the needs of doctoral students with minoritized identities.

Health service psychology doctoral training during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic: May 1st to June 25th, 2020.

Health service psychology doctoral training during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic: May 1st to June 25th, 2020.

A Preliminary Study of Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students' Training in Food Insecurity Assessment and Resource Provision.

Food insecurity (FI) is common among people with mental illness and is associated with poor health outcomes, suggesting that equipping future psychologists with skills to address FI would be beneficial. We assessed basic FI knowledge and training among clinical psychology doctoral students in the United States and Canada. Graduate students were recruited through psychology listservs and internet postings to complete an online survey about their training experience in FI assessment and resource provision. Students (n=155) reported familiarity with the term FI but not with resources to address it. Less than 10% of students had received any training in FI assessment or resource provision as part of their graduate training, but the majority (over 80%) wished they had received this training. Clinical psychology doctoral students generally do not receive training in FI assessment and resource provision but want this training. Graduate programs should consider adding curricula to address this gap.

Supplemental Material for Health Service Psychology Doctoral Training During the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: May 1st to June 25th, 2020

Supplemental Material for Health Service Psychology Doctoral Training During the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: May 1st to June 25th, 2020

Division 44 public comments to the APA commission on accreditation: Promoting equity, accountability, and transparency in doctoral psychology training.

Division 44 public comments to the APA commission on accreditation: Promoting equity, accountability, and transparency in doctoral psychology training.

Workforce challenges in digital health implementation: How are clinical psychology training programmes developing digital competences?

ObjectivesDigital practice in psychological services is a rapidly expanding and innovative area which is supporting continuation of clinical provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Training the workforce to deliver safe and effective online psychological provision is key to service success and relies on accurate mapping of competences and current training needs. This paper discusses the initial stage for developing the first digital mental health competence framework for applied psychology in the UK. It reports on the digital training currently provided nationally and barriers/facilitators to acquiring these competencies.MethodsEighteen of the thirty UK Clinical Psychology Doctoral training programmes completed a 16-item survey. This mapped current digital health teaching and skills acquisition for trainee Clinical Psychologists throughout their 3-year pre-registration training. Furthermore, potential barriers and facilitators to developing these digital skills for both trainee and qualified Clinical Psychologists were investigated.ResultsThe quantitative analysis highlighted the majority of respondents viewed developing digital mental health competencies with importance, but were not integrating this into teaching or clinical placements activity. The qualitative, inductive content analysis revealed seven key themes influencing the development of digital mental health skills, with the majority of respondents identifying with two themes; the need for practice guidelines (50% of respondents) and opportunities for digital mental health experience.ConclusionsThe findings suggest the need for a greater focus on developing the digital health knowledge, skills, and confidence across trainee and qualified Clinical Psychologists. Strategic analysis indicated the need to develop a framework for digital mental health competences across the curriculum and placement experience. Easily accessible learning packages may support the implementation of training nationally.

A National Survey on Didactic Curricula in Psychology Internship Training Programs.

Didactic curricula in psychology doctoral internship training programs in health service psychology are important components of the training experience. However, the nature of didactic curricula, including how they are developed and implemented, is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to describe characteristics of didactic programs, better understand their development, and identify barriers to implementation. This study surveyed psychology doctoral internship program directors about didactic training in their programs. A total of 122 internship directors consented to participate. On average, internship didactics were held for 11 hr per month, during regular work-day hours, and on a weekly basis. Internal faculty members were the most common didactic speakers. Didactic curricula were typically developed to meet profession-wide competencies as established by the accrediting body, the American Psychological Association. Identified barriers to didactic program development and implementation included lack of protected release time for faculty and trainees, presenter- and facility-related challenges, and difficulty addressing learner needs. Ideas for future research in this area are suggested.

The Ethics of Empathy: Walking a Fine Line in Forensic Evaluations

ABSTRACTObjectivity is often cited as the most important characteristic of the forensic evaluator. However, emerging evidence indicates bias continues to exist, despite evaluators’ best attempts to mitigate the influence of their internal processes. One type of bias, termed empathy bias, continues to engender debate in the field, as the evaluator’s experience of empathy has been conceptualized as a hindrance to the supposed objective forensic evaluation process. We conceptualize the issue of empathy as multipronged: a means to foster the assessment process, an instrument for gathering data, and an ethical imperative. From this point of view, we note empathy is a core characteristic fostered throughout clinical psychology doctoral training. Moreover, due to the well-documented bias associated with racial or ethnic minority status and the stigma of mental illness, the forensic evaluator’s experience of empathy for the individual being assessed likely enhances the interpersonal aspects of the evaluation process. However, the forensic literature often cautions the examiners to carefully manage their emotional reactions to defendants as a way in which to preserve the integrity of the evaluation. We argue that this caution is slightly off the mark, as the internal reaction of the examiner may provide valuable information to the evaluation process. Finally, we suggest further research is warranted in the forensic evaluator’s experience of empathy, as well as how empathy may either enhance or negatively influence the evaluation.

From advising to mentoring: Toward proactive mentoring in health service psychology doctoral training programs.

From advising to mentoring: Toward proactive mentoring in health service psychology doctoral training programs.

Disruptive change and health service psychology transform a clinical psychology doctoral training clinic.

Disruptive change and health service psychology transform a clinical psychology doctoral training clinic.

Developing a Peer Mentorship Program to Increase Competence in Clinical Supervision in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Programs.

Supervision has recently been recognized as a core competency for clinical psychologists. This recognition of supervision as a distinct competency has evolved in the context of an overall focus on competency-based education and training in health service psychology, and has recently gained momentum. Few clinical psychology doctoral programs offer formal training experiences in providing supervision. A pilot peer mentorship program (PMP) where graduate students were trained in the knowledge and practice of supervision was developed. The focus of the PMP was to develop basic supervision skills in advanced clinical psychology graduate students, as well as to train junior doctoral students in fundamental clinical and practical skills. Advanced doctoral students were matched to junior doctoral students to gain experience in and increase knowledge base in best practices of supervision skills. The 9-month program consisted of monthly mentorship meetings and three training sessions. The results suggested that mentors reported a 30% or more shift from the category of not competent to needs improvement or competent, in the following supervision competencies: theories of supervision, improved skill in supervision modalities, acquired knowledge in supervision, and supervision experience. Furthermore, 50% of the mentors reported that they were not competent in supervision experience at baseline and only 10% reported that they were not competent at the end of the program. Satisfaction data suggested that satisfaction with the program was high, with 75% of participants indicating increased knowledge base in supervision, and 90% indicating that it was a positive addition to their training program. This program was feasible and acceptable and appears to have had a positive impact on the graduate students who participated. Students reported both high satisfaction with the program as well as an increase in knowledge base and experience in supervision skills.

A survey of UK clinical psychology doctoral training on specialty issues

A survey of UK clinical psychology doctoral training on specialty issues

The buds and shoots of what I’ve grown to become: the development of reflective practice in Trainee Clinical Psychologists

Within literature regarding Personal Professional Development (PPD) in Clinical Psychology training, personal and professional development are largely conceptualised as separate processes. Yet models of reflective practice would suggest that an awareness of the personal self is necessary for effective clinical work. This study explored newly qualified Clinical Psychologists’ (CPs) experiences of PPD, and in particular their identities, during their clinical psychology doctoral training. The main research question was ‘How do newly qualified CPs experience their personal and professional identities during doctoral training?’ Seven newly qualified CPs were interviewed regarding their experiences of their personal and professional identities during training. A qualitative research design was employed and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data. Three superordinate themes were identified: Enhancing awareness of self and others; Taking risks and managing uncertainty; Developing self-acceptance. Within these results there was a strong message of an inextricable link between personal and professional identities. Enhancing awareness of self was understood as a personal process within PPD and an important aspect of reflective practice, thus it is proposed that PPD is an effective tool for training reflective practitioners. Within PPD, learning to manage uncertainty and take risks within relationships was seen to contribute to reflective practice, as CPs may be more able to attend to process issues within the therapeutic context. Furthermore, greater self-awareness seemed to help trainees find a balance between self-development and self-acceptance. Maintaining a stable and accepting sense of self may contribute to a CP’s professional development and personal wellbeing.

A Preliminary Assessment of Ecopsychology Education in Counseling Psychology Doctoral Training Programs

Abstract The purpose of this study was to provide a preliminary assessment of the current state of ecopsychology in counseling psychology doctoral training. Eighteen training directors participated in a survey of programs' inclusion of ecopsychology training, perceived interest in ecopsychology and social justice, attitudes about the importance of ecopsychology, and familiarity with ecopsychology. Results suggested a lack of formalized inclusion of ecopsychology training despite some familiarity with ecopsychology. In addition, participants reported less faculty and student interest in ecopsychology as compared to social justice interest. Based on the findings, the inclusion of ecopsychology is recommended to extend counseling psychology's social justice agenda. Additional research to support the inclusion of ecopsychology training in professional psychology training programs is recommended. Key Words: Ecopsychology—Professional psychology—Training—Social justice—Counseling psychology.