The graduate record examination and selection of graduate students.

The sample was comprised of 50 students who entered the graduate program of the University of Florida between 1955 and 1959. The GRE Verbal and Quantitative aptitude scores were available on all of these students, and a complete undergraduate record on 38 of the 50 students… . Nine of the 11 full-time faculty were asked to rate each student." Only the GPA in math-science courses correlated significantly (.37) with the staff ratings. The "combination of X̄ GRE and GPA (math-science) yielded a multiple correlation of .46 with faculty ratings. Thus, combining these two predictors would be a definite improvement over selection based on either one alone." From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4KJ48R. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between scientific and theoretical orientation among clinical psychology doctoral students.

Examined the relationship between theoretical orientation and research attitudes and interests among 233 doctoral students in clinical psychology. Responses to a survey sent to 10 doctoral training programs indicated that behaviorally oriented students are more interested in conducting research and are more likely to endorse the basic tenets of science than those students expressing a preference for psychodynamic or humanistic orientations. Behavioral students were also younger and more likely to have majored in psychology as undergraduates, suggesting an earlier commitment to a career in psychology. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the role of training programs in encouraging clinical psychology graduate students to become better consumers of scientific literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional interests and career aspirations of graduate students in professional psychology: An exploratory survey.

Graduate students in American professional psychology programs (N = 498) were surveyed to examine differences between specialty area (clinical vs. counseling), degree type (PhD vs. PsyD), and gender with respect to demographics, training models, theoretical orientations, career aspirations and reasons for choices, research productivity, and expected salaries. Clinical and counseling students differed with respect to training models, theoretical orientations, career aspirations, and expected salaries, whereas PhD and PsyD students differed with respect to training models, theoretical orientations, career aspirations, and research emphasis. The changing gender composition in professional psychology is unlikely to have a dramatic effect given their professional similarities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vocational interests and career indecision among psychosis-prone college students

This study investigated the relationship between scores on scales that purport to measure psychosis-proneness and scores on vocational interests, identity, and differentiation scales in a sample of 233 college students who completed the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation scales, the Strong Campbell Interest Inventory, and the Career Decision Scale. The present findings are consistent with prior work indicating a sex-related association of scores on measures of psychosis-proneness and vocational interests. A positive correlation between scores on vocational indecision and measures of psychosis-proneness was also found, suggesting that both men and women who score high on psychosis-proneness find it difficult to formulate long-term career goals. Finally, there was no significant correlation between scores on measures of psychosis-proneness and Holland's Vocational Differentiation Index. Present results are discussed in light of previously reported sex differences among psychosis-prone adults and diagnosed schizophrenics. The implications of the findings for vocational counselors are also addressed.     

Stability of vocational interests among high school students

The purpose of this study was to examine the stability of adolescents' career interests using the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII). Students at a Midwestern high school were administered the SCII twice over a three-year period, and comparisons were made on Occupational Themes and Basic Interests. Significant differences in mean scores were found by gender and parental occupation, and these differences were relatively stable. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research and Holland's theory, and the implications are addressed.     

Teaching clinical psychology graduate students about traumatic stress studies.

Although clinical psychology graduate seminars in traumatic stress are needed, teaching these courses carries unique challenges and opportunities. This paper describes the rationale, purpose, and process of developing a specialized course in traumatic stress. This course is used as a model for discussing implementation considerations that could be applied in other graduate programs. Course construction, teaching challenges, and potential solutions are presented. In particular, a process for addressing the affective and intellectual integration of material is emphasized. Attempts to assess the quality and outcomes of teaching activities are provided to illustrate future directions for improving trauma-related pedagogy and research that evaluates such pedagogy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The failure of clinical psychology graduate students to apply understood ethical principles.

Surveyed 170 graduate students from 25 American Psychological Association (APA)-approved clinical training programs on what they should do in a hypothetical situation in which a peer/friend is violating the ethical principles stated in APA's Ethical Standards of Psychologists, and then what they would do. It was found that approximately half of these Ss would do less than they believe they should. The need for a thorough, formal, and systematic approach to training in ethics is emphasized. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On recruiting graduate students.

"In the fall of 1955, the Committee on Undergraduate Education conducted a questionnaire survey of American colleges regarding their undergraduate psychology programs." About ? of the country's 4 year liberal arts colleges cooperated. 73% of responding institutions offer a major in psychology. About 75% of the colleges offering majors have 1 term courses in introductory psychology, the other 25% have 2 terms 10 colleges require less than 20 semester hours work for the major in psychology, 12 require 35 semester hours or more. Data are also presented in answer to the following questions: (a) How many students enter graduate school each year? (b) What proportion of seniors and senior majors continue into graduate study? (c) Are small colleges better at producing graduate students? (d) Did the survey identify any single variable associated with rate of producing graduate students? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On recruiting graduate students.

"The best estimate is that nearly 1700 students who received baccalaureate degrees in 1957, and 400 graduating previously, began graduate work (half-time or more) in 1957… . Some regions attracted a disproportionate number of students: e.g., California and New York totaled 26% of the entire entering group. In contrast, the 13 Southern states, excluding Texas, enrolled only 16% of the new students." The greatest number of new graduate students came from colleges and universities in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Texas. "The Southern states contributed relatively few students." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure of interests and Asian-American college students.

Unweighted multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses were used to investigate whether J. L. Holland's (1985) theoretical structure of interests described the interest structures for 2 cultural groups and for genders within those groups. The intercorrelation matrices of the Strong Interest Inventory General Occupational Themes, for 168 Asian-American (mean age 20.5 yrs) and 285 White-American (mean age 20.7 yrs) university students, were submitted separately to MDS analysis. Metric, 2-dimensional solutions for each sample demonstrated that a circumplex structure underlay the interest domain for all 4 groups. Results were mixed in support of the hexagonal structure and the Realistic–Investigative–Artistic–Social–Enterprising–Conventional ordering suggested by Holland's theory. Possible explanations and implications of these results are discussed within the context of existing research on Asian cultural thought and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Boulder Model: History, rationale, and critique.

Although the current philosophy of education in clinical psychology allows for the existence of a program of training clinical psychologists who primarily want to be practitioners in conjunction with the more traditional scientist-practitioner (Boulder model) program, the controversy over the value of the 2 types of program continues. The criticism of the Boulder model is that the rationale for requiring clinical psychology students to learn to do research as well as train to be clinicians was spurious; the Boulder model trains students as researchers, a role that is incompatible with their interests and abilities. The history of the development of the Boulder model is reviewed together with data regarding the personality traits, interests, and abilities of people interested in research as opposed to service work. Findings indicate that the objections of the critics are well founded. (6 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The selection of graduate students in public health education.

Using as criteria ranking of the students on academic performance by 3 faculty judges, and of those who subsequently graduated on field performance, the validity of the SVIB, MMPI, Concept Mastery Test, and the American Public Health Association Examination for selecting graduate students for a public health education curriculum was studied. Only the APHA Examination, an achievement test, ranked the students in approximate order of later success, although the others gave evidence of usefulness for negative screening to eliminate poor students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selection of graduate students in clinical psychology: Use of cutoff scores and interviews.

The use of cutoff scores and interviews in the selection of graduate students in clinical psychology has been debated extensively, but researchers in only a few empirical studies have looked at these issues. We examined the selection process for clinical psychology students at Boston University, in which an interview was used and a quantitative cutoff score was not used. We analyzed scores of 357 applicants on Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and Miller Analogy Tests (MAT), grade point averages (GPA), and interview ratings. We found that the major criteria for invitation to an interview were GREs and GPA, though no quantitative cutoff had been used. The use of such a cutoff would result in no difference in selection of applicants. Reliability of interview ratings was moderately high, contrary to results of previous studies. Replications of this study would add to its generalizability and argue for the use of the cutoff and further consideration of the interview. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contradictions in clinical psychology training: A trainees' perspective of the Boulder Model.

Since its introduction, there have been discussions of the viability of the scientist-practitioner model of training clinical psychologists. A recurring issue is that there exist contradictions in teaching students about the limitations of psychological knowledge while at the same time familiarizing them with the skills demanded by clinical practice. Contradictions may be seen as detrimental, or they may be seen as fuel for the continued development of a discipline. In this article we elaborate on the perspective that there are benefits in the diversity and tension posed by scientist-practitioner training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reading in graduate school: A survey of doctoral students in clinical psychology.

To what extent do graduate students in clinical psychology complete assigned readings? A total of 744 graduate students in American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral programs completed an online survey regarding reading in graduate school (67% response rate, of those viewing the survey). The reported amount of assigned reading varied widely, with an average of 330 pages per week. Compliance ratings suggested that about half the assigned reading is completed thoroughly and that thorough reading is more common than skimming or not reading assigned material. Motivating and hindering factors for reading are reported, and implications for faculty are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exploratory examination of the sexual intervention self-efficacy of clinical psychology graduate students.

The current study investigated clinical psychology graduate students' self-efficacy regarding addressing clients' sexual concerns and problems. Students with more sexually liberal attitudes had higher self-efficacy beliefs. Sexuality-specific training experiences but not sexual attitudes or anxiety predicted the amount of sex therapy experience gained during graduate school. Students with more didactic education related to sexuality, more sex therapy experience, and more experience observing a clinician conducting sex therapy, had stronger sexual intervention self-efficacy beliefs. These educational experiences contributed to students' self-efficacy over and above general psychology training. The results speak to the importance of direct training to deal with clients' sexual concerns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support, need for support, and anxiety among women graduate students

The Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS) is characterized by thrombocytopenia with giant platelets, a prolonged bleeding time with defective platelet adhesion to the subendothelium related to a defect in platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) and a decreased prothrombin consumption. The mechanism of the latter abnormality remains unknown. In this study, we showed that this defect was corrected by the addition of purified human factor VIII (FVIII) to blood from four patients with BSS. The correction of prothrombin consumption was almost complete at concentrations between 1.5 and 3 IU/ml of FVIII procoagulant activity (VIII:C) and partially abolished by a monoclonal antibody which neutralizes VIII:C. This correction was specific for FVIII and was not observed after addition of purified human FIX. It was obtained, in the same magnitude range, with FVIII complexed to von Willebrand factor (vWF) but not with free vWF. These data provide a new insight into the knowledge of the physiological interaction between the platelet membrane and the vWF-FVIII complex facilitating plasma coagulation activation and may lead to helpful therapeutic advances.     

Preparing psychology graduate students for the professoriate.

Two interrelated stories are presented, the first about the author's struggles to become an effective teacher, the second about the University of New Hampshire's graduate program in psychology with its emphasis on research and teaching. The author's development as a teacher is described in the context of works by Skinner and Rogers. The program's 2-semester Seminar and Practicum in the Teaching of Psychology is detailed in relation to 5 instructional principles: readiness, structure, discovery, excitement, and individuality. Data pertaining to the success of the program are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)