Training activities and styles of beginning supervisors: A survey.

Used the Psychotherapy Supervision Questionnaire to assess activities and difficulties of 75 psychotherapy supervisors (aged 23–57 yrs) with 2 yrs or less experience in supervision. 29 Ss were employed in university graduate school programs; the remaining 46 were employed in predoctoral internship sites. There were expected differences in the level and the number of trainees supervised by the 2 groups, and they differed markedly in their theoretical orientations, with Ss from internship sites placing greater emphasis on psychodynamic approaches. All Ss reported frequent difficulties with perceived trainee resistance, with understanding the presented material, and with suggesting interventions. 32% had no formal training for supervision prior to beginning supervision. An overwhelming majority expressed interest in receiving more training in supervision. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Further testing of limits of cognitive plasticity: Negative age differences in a mnemonic skill are robust.

Extended earlier testing-the-limits research on age differences in cognitive plasticity of a memory skill by 18 additional assessment and training sessions to explore whether older adults were able to catch up with additional practice and improved training conditions. The focus was on the method of loci, which requires mental imagination to encode and retrieve lists of words from memory in serial order. Of the original 37 Ss, 35 (16 young, aged 20–30 yrs, and 19 older adults, aged 66–80 yrs) participated in the follow-up study. Older adults showed sizable performance deficits when compared with young adults and tested for limits of reserve capacity. The negative age difference was substantial, resistant to extensive practice, and applied to all Ss studied. The primary origin for this negative age difference may be a loss in the production and use of mental imagination for operations of the mind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Monitoring and planning capacities in the acquisition of music performance skills.

Investigated changes in cognitive capacities that occur as musicians acquire performance skills. A study is presented of child pianists (aged 6–14 yrs) of beginning and intermediate skill levels who performed well-learned musical pieces. Computer-detected pitch errors in the performances provided evidence for skill-related increases in both monitoring and planning: Children with more musical training showed quicker detection and correction of errors, more anticipatory and less perseveratory behavior, and larger range of planning than children with less training. A study of adult musicians' (mean age 27 yrs) advanced performances, which showed heightened sensitivity to melody and repeated pitch structures is also reported. Results show that planning and monitoring capacities increased most during initial stages of musical skill acquisition, whereas sensitivity to musical structure increased across all skill levels. Lists of beginners, intermediates' and adults' musical pieces performed are appended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The internship marketplace: The new depression?

Conducted a survey to provide data on past and future estimates of supply and demand in the internship marketplace and on current and anticipated financial support for clinical psychology graduate students and interns. A questionnaire sent to training directors of the 149 listed clinical psychology graduate programs and 242 listed predoctoral clinical internship facilities, yielded returns of 67% and 81% respectively. Results show a greater increase in demand than in supply of internship positions for the past 5 yrs, with a 14% nonplacement rate predicted within 3 yrs. Financial support data predict shifting of sources of funding from current levels such that a nonsupport rate of 12% for graduate students and 9% for interns is expected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of effort attributional feedback on children's perceived self-efficacy and achievement.

40 children (aged 7–10 yrs) who lacked subtraction skills received didactic training in subtraction operations with effort attributional feedback concerning past or future achievement or no feedback. Attributional feedback for past achievement led to more rapid progress in mastering subtraction operations, greater skill development, and higher percepts of self-efficacy. Results of a multiple regression analysis show that percepts of efficacy and training process each accounted for a significant increment in the explained portion of variability in posttest skill. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The education and training of clinical psychologists in the Netherlands.

With the reduction of the doctorandus program in the Netherlands to 4 yrs, a graduate program has been created that is significant to clinical psychology because it separates the research and applied orientations. The research orientation leads to the PhD, the applied orientation to a certificate of professional registration. This distinction has effectively ended the scientist–practitioner model underlying the training of clinical psychologists. In moving clinical psychology from its scientific research base, psychology has become more fragmented, and in a way that has far-reaching implications for the discipline and the profession in the Netherlands. These developments are of interest due to the debate in the US and elsewhere on training and licensure of clinical psychologists and concern about the unity of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contemporary counseling psychology: Results of a national survey.

Conducted a national survey of counseling psychologists to examine counseling psychology in its current state of development. A 6-page questionnaire, which examined such variables as demographics, professional activities, institutional affiliations, and training satisfaction, was mailed to 980 members of Division 17 (Counseling) of the American Psychological Association (APA). Of these, 716 (73%) usable questionnaires were returned. Counseling psychologists (aged 29–84 yrs) were found (a) to spend the majority of their professional time providing individual psychotherapy, (b) to be primarily eclectic in theoretical orientation, (c) to be increasingly identified with the work setting of private practice, and (d) to be generally satisfied with their graduate and internship training. Additional information about counseling psychologists' professional self-views, research and publication efforts, career satisfaction, and satisfaction with the APA was also obtained. Findings are discussed in relation to the present and future of counseling psychology. (60 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An initial evaluation of a clinical psychology practicum training program.

Assessed 2 groups of clinical psychology graduate student trainees (N?=?26) either 3 or 4 times over the 1st 2 yrs of training. Skills measured included the ability to both communicate and discriminate empathic responses. Faculty supervisory ratings of Ss and internship supervisory ratings were obtained. For comparison purposes, data were gathered from 9 graduate trainees who did not undergo systematic skills training. Results indicate that both experimental training groups (receiving skill training) improved in their ability to produce empathic responses as compared with the control group. The training group that received the more intense and experiential training showed greater improvement in ability to discriminate facilitative responses. Faculty ratings during practicum did not reveal improvement; however, internship supervisory ratings did reflect trainee improvement. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nonverbal cues in the employment interview: Links between applicant qualities and interviewer judgments.

Investigated the role of nonverbal behavior in the employment interview inference process, using a modified Brunswik lens model. Job interviews for an actual research assistant position were conducted and videotaped with 34 candidates (aged 18–67 yrs). Job applicants' self-appraised motivation to work and social skill were assessed, and their nonverbal behaviors during the interview were scored. 18 judges with training and experience in employment interviewing watched the videotaped interviews and rated the Ss on their motivation, social skill, and hirability. Social skill was more accurately inferred by the judges as a group than was motivation to work. Ss' social skill was apparently transmitted to the judges via 3 nonverbal cues: rate of gesturing, time spent talking, and formality of dress. In contrast, there was a lack of correspondence between cues correlated with Ss' self-appraised motivation to work and those used by judges in making their attributions. Implications for employment interview training are discussed. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of interpersonal problem-solving training with chronic aftercare patients on problem-solving component skills and effectiveness of solutions.

Administered group skills training to 7 chronic psychiatric patients (aged 24–45 yrs) who were enrolled in a partial-hospitalization program and had difficulty solving interpersonal problems. Training focused on the development of 5 problem-solving components: problem identification, goal definition, solution evaluation, evaluation of alternatives, and selection of a best solution. A multiple-baseline design was used to demonstrate training effectiveness through improved problem solving on trained situations and through skill generalization to novel, untrained situations. Maintenance of the training was evaluated after 1 and 4 mo. Social validation was accomplished by comparing the problem-solving competency of the patient sample with skills demonstrated by 20 normal nonpsychiatric persons (aged 22–60 yrs). Results show that following training, the frequency of targeted problem-solving components increased substantially. Training effects were generalized to unfamiliar problem situations and largely maintained at follow-ups. For both problem-solving situations, Ss' overall problem-solving was equivalent to the competency levels displayed by the normal community sample. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of geropsychology training.

What effect does a geropsychology practicum placement have on graduate students' knowledge of and attitudes toward older adults? Ninety psychology externs and interns were surveyed at the beginning of the training year and then 9 months later. About half of the trainees provided services in settings that served older adults, whereas the remainder did not. At the end of training, those with a geropsychology placement maintained higher interest in geropsychology, had lower negative attitudes toward older people, and had greater knowledge of mental health and aging than trainees without a geropsychology placement. There were no differences between the two placement groups in knowledge of general facts on aging and positive attitudes toward the aged. The implications of the findings for graduate program directors, training psychologists, and graduate students are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parentline: A demonstration program for graduate practicum training and community service in clinical child psychology.

Describes a telephone consultation service for parents with questions about their children's developmental, behavioral, and learning problems. First-year graduate students participate as staff after having completed an intensive 10-wk training program that provides a knowledge and skill base in assessment, empathic responding, child development, parenting techniques, and change theory. Staff members learn to propose interventions that include providing information, developing individualized management programs, or offering referral assistance. Community utilization of the program as well as the impact of this practicum training experience on graduate students' professional development are discussed. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical psychology training and psychotherapy interview performance.

Examined the effect of graduate training in clinical psychology on interview skills by comparing the analog interview performance of graduate students with 0–3 yrs of clinical training over time and with that of graduate students in other specialties. Although clinical training per se had no effect, Ss with psychotherapy training were more empathic and accepting, used more reflections, asked fewer questions, used fewer explanations, and gave less advice. These characteristics were particularly pronounced in Ss with psychotherapy process training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The graduate advising relationship in Canadian psychology programmes: Advisee perspectives.

The graduate advising relationship is generally considered to be a critical aspect of graduate student development. This is due, in part, to the highly involved and interactive nature of the relationship; graduate advisors assume responsibility for guiding their advisees in successful completion of several degree requirements, including theses/dissertations, coursework, and applied work. Despite the significance of this relationship, research on graduate advising across Canadian psychology programmes remains limited. The current study assessed Canadian psychology graduate students (n = 387) from clinical, experimental, counselling, and education programmes using an online questionnaire regarding students' perceptions of their advisory relationship and the advising they received in specific training areas. Overall, advising in self-care and work-life balance was the greatest predictor of perceived quality of the advisory relationship for clinical students, research design for experimental students, and clinical work for counselling students, respectively. Implications for training and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavior consultation: A five-year evaluation of consultant and client outcomes.

Examined the effects of training in behavioral consultation (BEC) on school psychology graduate students and on client outcomes. 169 children (aged 3–11 yrs), 29 teachers/consultees, and 26 consultants participated. The consultants were comprised of 4 groups of graduate students and 1 no-training undergraduate control group. The procedure involved 3 phases of assessment: pre-training, competency-based training, and post-training. Training focused on the principles and mastery of applied behavioral therapy and BEC, relationship skills, and systems entry issues. The dependent variables included indices of mastery of the BEC process, knowledge and attitude toward behavior modification (BEM), consumer satisfaction, and treatment outcome. Each consultant achieved a predetermined minimum criterion of 80% of BEC interview objectives. Training resulted in large increases of BEM and no changes in attitude toward BEM. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variability across sources of performance ratings: Further evidence.

33 1st-yr graduate students (aged 21–55 yrs) completed a simulated counseling interview. Self-, peer, and supervisor ratings were obtained for the simulated interviews using 7 measures of counseling performance. A multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated statistically significant differences among self-, peer, and supervisor ratings. Analyses also showed significant differences on 4 of the 7 dependent measures. Implications for training are discussed. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Component analysis of cognitive skill training for the enhancement of hypnotic susceptibility.

Compared 4 treatments to enhance the hypnotic responsiveness of 60 undergraduates (aged 18–34 yrs) who pretested as low in hypnotic suceptibility on the Carleton University Responsiveness to Suggestion Scale. Complete skill training included information aimed at encouraging (1) positive attitudes, (2) the use of imagery strategies, and (3) an interpretation of hypnotic behavior as active responding. Partial training included only Components 1 and 2. Both training packages enhanced attitudes toward hypnosis to an equivalent degree. However, complete training was much more effective than either partial training or no treatment at enhancing behavioral and subjective responding on 2 different posttest scales of hypnotic susceptibility. More than half of the Ss who received complete training, but none of the partial training or control Ss, scored in the high-susceptibility range on both posttests. Ss explicitly instructed to fake hypnosis and those in the complete skill-training treatment exhibited significantly different patterns of posttest responding. Findings support social-psychological perspectives that emphasize the importance of contextual factors in hypnotic responding. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intermediate-size transposition and children's operational level.

Three experiments with a total of 170 children aged 4 yrs 8 mo–7 yrs 5 mo examined the relationship between intermediate-size transposition and operational level. In each experiment, concrete and preoperational Ss were identified by Piagetian tasks. In Exp I, half of the Ss received single-problem training and the other half multiple-problem training, followed by a far test of transposition. Exp II was similar to the multiple-training condition, but all Ss could verbalize and understand the concept "middle size." Exp III differed from Exp II in providing a test of near transposition after single-problem training. It was found that logical abilities as well as perceptual factors are involved in transposition performance. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate education in psychology: Past, present, and future.

Deals with important developments in graduate education and training in psychology. The author describes graduate education in American universities prior to 1960 and outlines important issues that impact on current and future graduate education. Winds of change were signaled in the Vail conference and in the growth of professional schools of psychology, and emerging issues were outlined at the Utah Conference on Graduate Education. The author discusses 6 current issues in graduate education: the integrity of psychology as a discipline, basic science and research training, the impact of increasing specialization of graduate training and core curriculum issues, internship training for experimental psychologists, continuing education, and mentoring and student–faculty relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)