The psychology department clinic: Its organization and development.

Briefly reviews the history of the psychology department clinic (PDC) and describes its current status, based on a recent survey of 63 PDCs. Data regarding the organizational structures, functions, and priorities of PDCs are presented. In addition, the model PDC is described. An assessment is made of the extent to which expectations regarding the PDC expressed at conferences on professional training of clinical psychologists are being fulfilled. It is concluded that the PDC not only can survive in an academic setting but is strongly committed to its clinical training and service goals. Reservations are expressed about both the PDC's contribution to faculty professional growth in the clinical area and its role in facilitating integration of clinical and research activities of students and faculty. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Innovations in speciality training: The Clinical Child Psychology Program at the University of Kansas.

This article describes innovations in graduate training in the Clinical Child Psychology Program (CCPP) at the University of Kansas. The CCPP is an interdepartmental doctoral program jointly affiliated with the Department of Human Development and Family Life (and its Developmental and Child Psychology Program) and the Department of Psychology (and its Clinical Psychology Program). The CCPP is expressly designed for a high degree of specialization because children and families require increasingly specialized assessment and therapeutic techniques. This specialty focus includes an orientation to principles of development and empirically supported interventions. The CCPP's faculty and students are involved in research and clinical efforts in the community and state in addition to activities in the program's training clinic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of professional identity in Black clinical psychology students.

Professional identity was conceived and explored via a sample of Black clinical psychology students. Theoretical perspective, values, and career goals were identified as the central aspects of professional identity. Sociopolitical professional identity (SPI) was of special interest; it was defined as a pattern of interdependence between sociopolitical values and other aspects of professional identity. SPI, which develops during the process of professional socialization (i.e., training), was predicted to occur more frequently in programs with a greater number of program resources relevant to work with culturally diverse populations. There was some evidence that significant and meaningful interdependent relations existed among the SPI variables, but there was no convincing evidence of an association between resource use and SPI. Nonetheless, the students used and apparently valued program resources such as Black faculty and culturally diverse training experiences. Other findings indicated that students were shaped by their training experiences, often in a way that reflected the dominant perspectives in clinical psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Student and faculty perceptions of educational values.

"A questionnaire asking respondents to rank nine sets of phrases" representing different objectives of higher education was the basic instrument. 4 hypotheses were formulated as follows: "(a) there is a significant difference between what students wish to gain from college and what faculty consider as worthy objectives of higher education, (b) the expectancies of freshmen and seniors are different, (c) seniors are better able than freshmen to predict expressed faculty goals, and (d) more students than faculty feel that their educational goals are being met at the university." The first hypothesis was confirmed, data on the second hypothesis "led to a rejection," and the third hypothesis "was not confirmed by the data." The "students as a group reported substantially more goal fulfillment than did the faculty." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sustaining curricular change at Sherbrooke through external, formative program evaluations

In this case study, the authors discuss external, formative program evaluation as a means to monitor and sustain ongoing curricular change and to prepare for periodic accreditation reviews. The Faculty of Medicine at Sherbrooke (in Quebec, Canada), following a major curricular reform begun in the mid-1980s, held three external, formative program evaluations in 1988, 1991, and 1994, using expert judgment and "connoisseur" models of evaluation. The authors present the goals of the evaluations (e.g., to evaluate the implementation of intended curricular changes) and the 17-step process used (e.g., "involve as many faculty and students as possible before and during the visit"), and describe the preparation for the evaluations, the selection of the external evaluators (e.g., a chief medical officer from the World Health Organization, a high-profile basic sciences teacher, the chairman of the previous accreditation team, and others), and on-site activities and reporting. Recommendations from the evaluators and the subsequent actions taken (and in a few cases, not taken) by the school are presented and discussed in terms of program planning, curricular content, basic sciences, problem-based learning and tutors' training, assessment of students, resource constraints, clerkships, community orientation, students' self-directedness, and medical humanism. The three evaluations helped guide and support the major curricular undertakings and encouraged continued changed and refinements. They also had a significant effect on the curriculum itself, on the faculty, and on the socioeducational climate of the school.     

For Children's Sake: Training students in the treatment of child witnesses of domestic violence.

The authors describe For Children's Sake, an innovative program at Illinois State University focused on serving children who have witnessed domestic violence and on training graduate students in working with this special population. Unique aspects of the program including its funding source, child maltreatment focus, and training model in complete program delivery, are highlighted. Additionally, a multilevel integration of the For Children's Sake program into the School Psychology doctoral program is discussed. Challenges, dilemmas, and successes that faculty and graduate students involved with For Children's Sake have experienced are mentioned to assist and encourage trainers in developing other innovative programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multicultural guidelines: Implementation in an urban counseling psychology program.

How do faculty create culture-centered programs? The recent American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists suggest that "As educators, psychologists are encouraged to employ the constructs of multiculturalism and diversity in psychological education" (APA, 2003, p. 386). This article presents a rationale for a culture-centered approach to psychological education and training and the present challenges to that approach. Seven areas of best practices are presented (including statement of philosophy, recruiting a diverse group of faculty and students, fair admissions process, culture-centered curriculum, and evaluation). The article concludes with an evaluation of an urban counseling psychology program coping with the challenges and trying to incorporate best practices in creating a culture-centered program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Medical Polyclinic: an approach to conflicting needs in a teaching hospital

University teaching hospitals have become increasingly aware of their responsibility to improve both the teaching of ambulatory care and the quality of care provided in their clinics. This paper describes how one department of medicine met this challenge by forming a "Medical Polyclinic." The majority of the department's faculty and house staff, at all academic and training levels, participate in a system of ambulatory care with the following objectives: each patient has a single physician whom he sees by appointment and who coordinates his care; all medical subspecialties are available in the same clinic session; the clinic is attractive and efficient. While these goals are not infrequently met in private group practices, they are unusual in a university teaching hospital, where faculty, house staff, students, and patients each have unique needs, not always compatible. The success and problems of the polyclinic approach are discussed.     

The effect of training in verbal self-guidance on performance effectiveness in a MBA program.

The present field experiment examined the effects of training in verbal self-guidance (VSG) and a motivational intervention, goal setting, on the performance effectiveness of students in a MBA program. Performance effectiveness was assessed in terms of outcome (i.e., GPA) and behavioural (i.e., interpersonal skills) measures as well as a composite criterion (performance effectiveness). MBA students (n = 126) were randomly assigned to a 2 (VSG training/control) × 2 (goal setting/do your best) factorial design. The results revealed a main effect for VSG on performance effectiveness. There was an interaction effect such that participants who were trained in VSG and set goals had the highest level of performance effectiveness. A subsequent analysis revealed that the main effect for VSG on performance was spurious due to an ordinal interaction effect. Hence, VSG may be most effective when combined with goal setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Goal orientation and goal content as predictors of performance in a training program.

The antecedents and consequences of content goals for 252 participants in a complex skill-training program were examined in a longitudinal study. Using LISREL 8 to test a mediated model, it was found dispositional goal orientation was related to the content of goals that individuals adopted for the training program. Not all content goals were related to training performance; only content goals with a skill improvement focus had a positive relationship with performance. Results provide a richer understanding of the antecedents of content goals and their relationship to performance and have implications for managers and for the administration of training programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training teachers in the anatomical sciences

A number of medical schools have initiated workshops to improve faculty teaching skills. Little effort, however, has been directed toward the pedagogical training of graduate students who are destined to become future medical science teachers. To help solve this problem, the faculty of the Department of Anatomy in the University of Nebraska College of Medicine recently developed a prototype teacher training program for graduate students in anatomy. Through formal course work and practical classroom experience, students are developing the skills requisite for effective teaching of the anatomical sciences. Student and faculty response to the training program has been enthusiastic, and the objectives and structure of the program can be applied to the production of competent and skilled teachers in other areas of the basic and clinical sciences.     

Issues in the training of school psychologists in program evaluation.

Program evaluation is becoming increasingly important to all professional psychologists, including school psychologists. Despite a burgeoning of information about program evaluation principles, little attention has been given to program evaluation training, especially the utility of that training for program decision making. Five issues pertinent to the training of school psychologists in program evaluation are discussed: need for training, extent of training, goals of training, methods of training, and evaluation of training experiences. The material presented is based on the authors' experiences in program evaluation training at the Rutgers School Psychology Training Program. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The graduate research training environment in professional psychology: A multilevel investigation.

Very little program-level research on psychology graduate research training environments (RTEs) exists despite the RTE being a program-level (vs. student-level) construct. In the current study, the authors investigated correlates of programs' RTEs, including characteristics of the students, the faculty, and the programs themselves. Proportional stratified sampling of American Psychological Association-accredited PhD programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology yielded data from 40 programs. Students and faculty in those programs completed Internet questionnaires, and additional faculty and program characteristics were coded. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that programs with positive student-rated RTEs had faculty who also viewed the RTE as positive and had satisfying faculty–student relations. These programs also had students with higher levels of research interest and stronger advisory alliances, yet within-program student differences in the RTE explained more variance in these student characteristics than did between-programs differences. This research supports the value of examining the RTE at both the student and program levels, and it suggests that training interventions ought to occur at both levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transforming the culture of the academy through “Preparing Future Faculty” programs.

Preparing Future Faculty programs were developed as an alternate way to prepare doctoral students for academic careers. The author discusses experiences of faculty of color in institutions of higher education. The article describes the original University of Georgia Preparing Future Faculty in Psychology program with its emphasis on students of color. Lessons learned and implications for training are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A family practice education system based on patient care outcomes in family practice settings

The philosophy, goals, objectives, methodology, and results of a family practice faculty development program are described. Developing family practice educators who will create an education system based on patient care outcomes in family practice settings is the central philosophical purpose of this faculty development program. On completion of the program all participants recognized the essential nature of this philosophical goal and were more comfortable and confident in their ability to: (1) determine resident learning needs; (2) organize curriculum units; (3) use different teaching techniques; and (4) understand their own personal teaching needs and interests. The implications of these changes for developing a family practice curriculum based on patient needs are described.     

Gender differences in the acquisition of salary negotiation skills: The role of goals, self-efficacy, and perceived control.

Examined the effectiveness of different training programs in men's and women's acquisition of salary negotiation skills. MBA students received a 2-stage training program that provided initial content instruction in negotiation tactics, followed by supplemental training in either goal setting or self-management. After both training sessions, participants conducted salary negotiations with trained confederates who used standardized guides to award salary increases. Results indicated that, although women negotiated lower salaries than men following the initial training, controlling for goals eliminated this difference. Analysis of salary improvements following supplemental training revealed that gender differences were reduced for self-management participants only. Changes in perceived control over the negotiation appeared to mediate this effect. Implications of these findings for understanding training effectiveness are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trainees' experiences with peers having competence problems: A national survey.

Trainees with problems of professional competence (TPPC) are a significant phenomenon in psychology education and training. Although most faculty and students are able to identify at least one TPPC over a 5-year period (Forrest, Elman, Gizara, & Vacha-Haase, 1999), investigations have typically focused on trainers; trainees' perspectives are relatively unexplored. We used survey research to assess perspectives on TPPC from 321 trainees in counseling, clinical, school, and combined psychology programs from masters' through predoctoral internship training levels. Questions targeted (a) training on TPPC and awareness of program policies, (b) general beliefs about faculty/supervisor/peer awareness and action related to TPPC, (c) specific experience with TPPC, (d) characteristics of the experience with a TPPC, (e) impact of program dynamics, (f) faculty/supervisor/peer actions with specific TPPC instances, (g) making a decision to take action, (h) personal and systemic impact of taking action, and (i) not taking action. Results revealed that 44% of students were aware of a TPPC. Participants were confident that trainers were aware of TPPC, yet less certain that trainers would address TPPC. Similarly, participants held more confidence that their peers were aware of TPPC than they were that peers would take action. Although more than half of participants reported taking action, a majority did not draw on their training when doing so. Common action strategies included consulting with faculty/supervisors and peers, venting with peers, or approaching the TPPC. Implications for training are discussed, including attention to training related to TPPC and understanding faculty and student roles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counseling psychology students' interest in research: Examining the contribution of achievement goals.

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive utility of achievement goal theory relative to the outcome of interest in research. The sample consisted of 114 doctoral students in counseling psychology. Results indicated that achievement goals accounted for 24% of the variance in interest in research over and above demographic and social-cognitive/contextual variables. Mastery approach and performance avoidance goals were shown to be significant positive and negative predictors of interest in research, respectively. In addition, age, year in program, and research outcome expectations were found to be significantly associated with interest in research. Implications for research training are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

University counseling center consultation: Developing a faculty outreach program.

A faculty outreach program created by a university counseling center had the goals of strengthening the working relationship between staff of the center and academic faculty, informing faculty of the center's services and their relationship to the academic mission, providing coordination of academic departments' requests for outreach and consultation services, and increasing center staff involvement in outreach services to faculty. In its first year this program reached 53 departments and programs and 370 faculty and staff. The program design, results, and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Problematic Students: Gatekeeping Practices of Academic Professional Psychology Programs.

When the topic of problematic students arises, there are often more questions than answers. Professional psychology programs may serve as gatekeepers for the profession, yet there is little guidance on intervening with problematic students. This study surveyed training directors (TDs) of American Psychological Association-accredited academic psychology programs regarding problematic student behaviors. Over half of the programs that responded had terminated at least 1 student during a 3-year period, with TDs citing inadequate clinical skills as the major reason. Despite accreditation policies, 54% of the programs did not have written guidelines for intervening with problematic students. Recommendations to promote consistent evaluation and intervention at the faculty, student, program, and national-policy level are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)