Abstract
Objective
Few studies of residents’ attitudes toward psychotherapy training exist. The authors examined residents’ perceptions of the quality of their training, support for training, their own competence levels, and associations between self-perceived competence and perceptions of the training environment.
Methods
An anonymous, web-based questionnaire was distributed to residents at 15 U.S. training programs in 2006–2007. Likert-scaled items were used to evaluate attitudes regarding psychotherapy training and self-perceived competence in five modes of psychotherapy: brief, cognitive-behavioral, combined psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, psychodynamic, and supportive.
Results
Surveys were completed by 249 of 567 residents (43.9%). Over one-half agreed that their program provided high-quality psychotherapy training. Concerns about the adequacy of the time and resources provided by their programs were expressed by 28%. Although residents generally believed that their training directors supported psychotherapy training, approximately one-third did not believe that other key department leaders were supportive. Across years of training and modes of therapy, residents perceived their own competence in neutral to slightly positive terms, with self-perceived competence increasing with years of training.
Conclusion
Given the current residency training requirements, these data provide a mixed picture about how residents experience psychotherapy training. Residency programs may need to reassess the quality and quantity of resources dedicated to psychotherapy training. Critical appraisal of support provided by key departmental leadership is also warranted.
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The authors thank Katherine Green Hammond, Ph.D., for assistance with the statistical analysis. They also wish to thank the participating sites and residents: Irina Korobkova, M.D., Case Western Reserve School of Medicine; Deeba Ashraf, M.D., and Meg Weigel, M.D., Emory Univeristy; Ranji Varghese, M.D., Mayo Clinic; Preeti Kalani, M.D., Michigan State University, Kalamazoo; Shabnam Sood, M.D., Maricopa Health Systems, Phoenix, AZ; Ashraf Fanous, M.D., Diana Martin, M.D., Salman Wahid, M.D., and Snejana Sonje, M.D., St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington, DC; Jennifer Haak, M.D., and Jesus Li-got, Jr., M.D., State University of New York at Buffalo; Georgian Mustada, M.D., State University of New York at Syracuse; Nicole Lanouette, M.D., University of California at Los Angeles; Melanie Deluna, M.D., and Robin Bitner, M.D., University of California at San Francisco; Jeffrey Tuttle, M.D., University of Kentucky; Nicole Washington, D.O., University of Oklahoma; Andrea Kim, M.D., University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX; and Cynthia Singley, M.D., University of Wisconsin. The authors also thank the anonymous reviewers of this manuscript for their valuable feedback and observations.
At the time of submission, Drs. Calabrese, Bitner, and Tuttle reported no competing interests. Dr. Sciolla is a member of the Speaker’s Bureau for AstraZeneca. Disclosures of Academic Psychiatry editors are published in each January issue.
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Calabrese, C., Sciolla, A., Zisook, S. et al. Psychiatric Residents’ Views of Quality of Psychotherapy Training and Psychotherapy Competencies: A Multisite Survey. Acad Psychiatry 34, 13–20 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.34.1.13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.34.1.13