Peer consultation groups for private practitioners.

Presents peer consultation groups as an important means for meeting the needs of private practitioners, specifically to improve therapeutic effectiveness, provide practical help, and counter isolation and burnout. Those aspects of trainee supervision that apply to peer consultation are examined, and the literature on peer consultation or supervision is reviewed. Using the authors' own group as a model, the goals, composition, content, and process of a peer consultation group are described. Stages of group development are outlined, and examples of group functioning are presented. Obstacles to participation, other alternatives, and the advantages of peer consultation groups are discussed. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Peer review: A private practice model.

The Peninsula Hospital Community Mental Health Center in California, in collaboration with community private practitioners, instituted a peer review plan to meet fiscal problems while permitting quality patient care. The present paper describes the plan and the functioning of the peer review committee. There were initial objections to the plan by most of the private practicing professionals concerned. The attitudes of 76 practitioners, as well as those of 19 peer reviewers, were assessed in questionnaires 3 yrs after the start of the peer review plan. Results of the questionnaires are discussed. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of psychologists in multidisciplinary pain clinics: A national survey.

Investigated the roles and responsibilities of psychologists functioning in multidisciplinary pain clinics by surveying 116 comprehensive pain centers throughout the US. 76 surveys (65.5%) were returned that contained analyzable data. Results indicate the following: (a) Psychologists divide their time approximately equally among therapy, evaluation, and other roles; (b) the majority of all pain clinic patients are seen by the psychologist on the team; and (c) behaviorally oriented models of intervention are used most often by the psychologist. Nearly all of the psychologists used clinical interviews in evaluation, along with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Pain questionnaires, especially the Beck Depression Inventory, were also frequently used evaluative devices. Results suggest that needed skills include psychotherapy, assessment, and application of learning theory to the understanding of pain. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Full-time private practice in the United States: Results of a national survey.

Information about 165 full-time private practitioners in psychology was obtained from a 34-item questionnaire sent to 300 practitioners across the nation. The questionnaires yielded information concerning Ss' education, geographic location, orientations, hours, referral sources and policies, patients, fees, consulting jobs, organizational memberships, and convention attendance. Most Ss indicated some dissatisfaction with their graduate training. A number of regional differences in the full-time private practice of psychology were found. Women worked fewer hours, made less money, and were more likely than men to refer patients to other mental health practitioners. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brief therapy prevalence and training: A national survey of psychologists.

Psychologists find themselves ill-prepared to meet the increasing demand for briefer and briefer therapies. Members of APA Divisions 12 (Clinical Psychology) and 29 (Psychotherapy) were surveyed (N?=?1,250; return rate?=?57%) regarding their practice of and training in brief therapy. Results indicate that almost all (89%) of the respondents perform some brief therapy and, on average, spend half their time doing it. With regard to training, however, half of those conducting brief therapy have never taken any brief therapy courses. Additional findings indicate theoretical orientation, gender, region, practice site, and setting are significantly related to the amount of brief therapy delivered. Overall, the amount and helpfulness of brief therapy training are significantly related to one's skill, satisfaction, and positive attitude toward brief therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Who gets attacked? A national survey of patient violence directed at psychologists in clinical practice.

A nationwide anonymous survey of 750 psychologists practicing psychotherapy was conducted to determine the incidence of patient violent attacks on clinicians and to examine factors related to these episodes. A useable return rate of 48.5% was obtained (N?=?340). A total of 39.9% of the respondents reported having been attacked on 1 or more occasions, and 49% indicated that they had been verbally threatened with physical attack. Several demographic and clinical factors, including work site and level of professional experience, were found to be related to episodes of patient attacks and threats. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patient sexual behavior and sexual harassment: A national survey of female psychologists.

A nationwide survey of 750 female psychologists practicing psychotherapy was conducted to determine the incidence of sexual harassment and potentially sexualized patient behaviors in clinical practice. A usable return rate of 48.7% was obtained (N?=?354). A total of 53.7% of the respondents reported at least 1 incident of sexual harassment. Events ranged from inappropriate verbal remarks to sexual assaults. Respondents reported an even higher incidence of sexually suggestive patient behaviors in clinical practice, although most of these were not experienced as sexual harassment. Implications for training and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple functions for psychologists in community consultation.

"Psychologists are assuming a wider range of responsibilities in community program administration and community consultation: in mental health, corrections, education, and anti-poverty." A program for training consultants was developed in New Mexico during a 4-yr demonstration project. Selection criteria include: (1) sound graduate training including the PhD for psychologists, (2) substantial clinical skills in diagnosis and therapy, (3) experience in consultation and administration, and (4) experience in community work. A 2-mo., full-time orientation program was conducted for the consultants hired. The project stimulated development of various new resources in local communities including, among others, a day school for retarded children, a family casework agency, a day center for emotionally disturbed children, a training and consultation service to an orphanage, and an alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training psychologists for hospital practice: A proposal.

Hospital practice has become increasingly important for psychologists over the past decade. However, expanded opportunities for practice require training for competency. The authors propose developing a comprehensive, systematic, and flexible program of training for hospital practice in psychology including graduate course work, supervised practicum experience, and opportunities for retraining. Recommendations for certification in hospital practice, credentialing and privileging, and continuing education are included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Utilization of psychologists in positions of responsibility in public mental health programs: A national survey.

Describes a 1969 survey of mental health programs in all 50 states. To document current status and provide precedence data, the survey sought information concerning positions including these at a divisional level within state programs and as program director of community mental health centers. 1/2 the states had psychologists as divisional chiefs, while in 75% of the states, the principle of competence in the appointment of local community mental health program directors was formally recognized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Similarities of patients treated by private practice psychologists and psychiatrists.

Over 12,000 patients of psychologists and psychiatrists were compared regarding demographic data and MMPI 2-point codes (J. T. Webb, 1970). No professional contributed more than 30 cases to the total sample, and the sample represented every state in the continental US. Results indicate remarkable similarity in patient populations of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists regarding (a) demographic characteristics of patients and (b) type and severity of psychopathology as measured by MMPI 2-point codes. The few MMPI differences appeared attributable primarily to educational differences in the caseloads of the 2 professions. Such similarity in a nationwide sample contradicts the often expressed view that psychiatrists rather than psychologists see patients who are more seriously disturbed. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing education activities for Maryland psychologists: A survey.

Data from 306 urban, doctoral-level, applied psychologists in Maryland show that the vast majority of Ss had attended meetings of the American Psychological Association and other national-level groups, but less than half had participated in workshops or seminars, and 40% did not read journals. There were few differences in experiences between speciality areas or employment settings. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The experience of "forgetting" childhood abuse: A national survey of psychologists.

A national sample of psychologists were asked whether they had been abused as children and, if so, whether they had ever forgotten some or all of the abuse. Almost a quarter of the sample (23.9%) reported childhood abuse, and of those, approximately 40% reported a period of forgetting some or all of the abuse. The major findings were that (1) both sexual and nonsexual abuse were subject to periods of forgetting; (2) the most frequently reported factor related to recall was being in therapy; (3) approximately one half of those who reported forgetting also reported corroboration of the abuse; and (4) reported forgetting was not related to gender or age of the respondent but was related to severity of the abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexuality training for professional psychologists: A national survey of training directors of doctoral programs and predoctoral internships.

Addressing sexuality issues is an inherent part of being a professional psychologist. A survey of training directors revealed that, although about one half of the doctoral programs covered at least some sexuality topics within courses, 19% to 21% of programs did not offer any training with regard to sexual dysfunction, therapy with gay clients, and HIV-AIDS. Sexuality training was even less likely in predoctoral internships. Sexuality training was unrelated to size of the program but was a function of the number of faculty with relevant expertise. Psychologists with adequate knowledge and comfort regarding sexuality will be better able to serve clients and avoid ethical pitfalls. Suggestions for infusing sexuality training into the already-crowded curricula are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of self-help materials for anxiety and depression in mental health services: A national survey of psychologists in Norway.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 42(3) of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (see record 2011-11548-002). The author's affiliations were listed incorrectly. The correct affiliations are in the correction.] How do psychologists in clinical practice perceive and use self-help materials for clients with anxiety and depression? The use of self-help materials with guidance from a therapist has been suggested as a way of meeting the increasing need for mental health services. The present study investigated factors relevant to the use of self-help materials for the treatment of anxiety and depression among psychologists employed in mental health services. Among 1863 eligible clinical psychologists in Norway, 815 (43.7%) participated in a national survey. A total of 93.5% of the participants had recommended self-help materials to clients, and approximately half (55.1%) had received requests from their clients regarding self-help materials. Self-help materials were recommended as an adjunct and not as an alternative to therapist contact by 73.0% of respondents, by 16.6% for relapse prevention, and by 1.2% to clients on a waiting list. Internet/computer-based programs were recommended by 2.2% of the participants. The practitioner's previous use of self-help materials to enhance his or her therapy skills and knowledge of self-help materials was related to use of self-help materials with clients. Psychologists working in child mental health services recommended self-help less often than those working in adult services. These results have implications for future efforts to disseminate effective self-help materials through increased attention toward self-help interventions in training and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rebuilding a private practice in psychology following a hurricane: The experiences of two psychologists.

Two psychologists who share offices in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands recount their firsthand experiences of rebuilding their private practice following a catastrophic natural disaster, in this case a major hurricane. They discuss the personal impact of the disaster on their lives—what it was like to cope with the physical disruption to their practice, to navigate the emotional issues, and to attempt to recover amid devastation and afterward. They explore the various aspects of restarting a practice in such an environment and the many complex clinical issues ensuing from the situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training psychologists for evidence-based practice.

Evidence-base practice (EBP) is now commonplace in many health care services and, in recent years, there has been a healthy debate about the role of EBP in psychology. In this article, I provide information on the nature of EBP and how it is consistent with professional training models and standards in psychology. In discussing some of the concerns that have been raised about the value of EBP in psychology, I present research findings on the relevance and potential impact of evidence-based assessment and treatment practices. Finally, after highlighting the promise of EBP, I offer some recommendations for how training efforts in professional psychology should be refocused in order to optimally prepare current and future psychologists to practice in an evidence-based manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Guidelines for psychologists conducting growth groups.

Presents guidelines developed by the American Psychological Association Board of Professional Affairs concerning (a) entry into a growth or encounter group, (b) the screening interview, (c) the role of the group leader in educational and psychotherapeutic groups, and (d) the welfare of the participant when growth groups are used for research or exploration of human potential. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Innovations for child witnesses: A national survey.

Numerous innovative procedural reforms have been proposed concerning child victims involved in legal cases. In this study, 153 district attorney offices nationwide were surveyed about their use of innovations, their perceptions of the innovations' effectiveness, reasons why they opt not to utilize innovations, and defense strategies used with child witnesses. Prosecutors were also asked about the type of cases they encountered in which children testified. Prosecutors reported mainly using inexpensive, easy-to-implement innovations, which were also typically rated as helpful in reducing children's trauma and enhancing guilty outcomes. Prosecutors reported rarely using expert witnesses and innovations that altered how children were interviewed or how they testified. The most common types of cases in which children testified involved sexual abuse. Frequent defense strategies to challenge child credibility concerned suggestibility, inaccurate memory, coaching, and delays in reporting abuse. Results are discussed in relation to the need for increased social science research on procedural reforms for child witnesses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A survey of psychologists serving secondary schools.

Surveyed 300 randomly selected districts serving students in all or some of Grades 7–22. Complete responses were received from 106 school districts (35%). Results indicate that a significant proportion of secondary schools did not provide psychological services. In districts where psychologists were employed, the psychologists reported involvement in a wide range of services and relatively low percentages of time devoted to direct individual assessment. Respondents are described in terms of administrative relationships, level of training, major areas of training, time spent in secondary schools, and time spent per week on a variety of tasks. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)