Psychotherapy Training: Residents’ Perceptions and Experiences

Objective This survey examined actual training hours in psychotherapy modalities as reported by residents, residents’ perceptions of training needs, and residents’ perceptions of the importance of different aspects of psychotherapy training. Method A brief, voluntary, anonymous, Internet-based surve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Academic psychiatry 2015-10, Vol.39 (5), p.567-574
Main Authors: Kovach, Jessica G., Dubin, William R., Combs, Christopher J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Behavior Modification
Career Choice
Clinical Experience
Cognitive Restructuring
Curricula
Curriculum - standards
Demographics
Didacticism
Directors
Empirical Report
Ethnicity
Female
Graduate Medical Education
Humans
Internship and Residency - standards
Male
Medical Education
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Middle Aged
Modeling (Psychology)
Multivariate Analysis
Patients
Perceptions
Polls & surveys
Psychiatry
Psychiatry - education
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy - education
Resistance (Psychology)
Statistical Analysis
Supervision
Teaching Methods
Variables
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Summary:Objective This survey examined actual training hours in psychotherapy modalities as reported by residents, residents’ perceptions of training needs, and residents’ perceptions of the importance of different aspects of psychotherapy training. Method A brief, voluntary, anonymous, Internet-based survey was developed. All 14 program directors for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited programs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware provided email addresses for current categorical residents. The survey inquired about hours of time spent in various aspects of training, value assigned to aspects of training, residents’ involvement in their own psychotherapy, and overall resident wellness. The survey was e-mailed to 328 residents. Results Of the 328 residents contacted, 133 (40.5 %) responded. Median reported number of PGY 3 and 4 performed versus perceived ideal hours of supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic therapy did not differ. Answers for clinical time utilizing these modalities ranged from “none or less than 1 h” per month to 20+ h per month. PGY 3 and 4 residents reported a median of “none or less than 1 h” per month performed of interpersonal, dialectical behavior therapy, couples/family/group, and child therapies but preferred more time using these therapies. Residents in all years of training preferred more hours of didactic instruction for all psychotherapies and for medication management. Residents ranked teaching modalities in the following order of importance: supervision, hours of psychotherapy performed, personal psychotherapy, readings, and didactic instruction. Residents engaged in their own psychotherapy were significantly more likely to rank the experiential aspects of psychotherapy training (personal psychotherapy, supervision, and hours performed) higher than residents not in psychotherapy. Conclusion Current psychotherapy training for psychiatry residents is highly variable, but overall, residents want more psychotherapy education than they are receiving. Further research and discussion about how much psychotherapy training is feasible in an evolving field is required.
ISSN:1042-9670
1545-7230
DOI:10.1007/s40596-014-0187-7