Evaluating frame-of-reference rater training effectiveness using performance schema accuracy.

Frame-of-reference training has been shown to be an effective intervention for improving the accuracy of performance ratings (e.g., Woehr & Huffcutt, 1994). Despite evidence in support of the effectiveness of frame-of-reference training, few studies have empirically addressed the ultimate goal of such training, which is to teach raters to share a common conceptualization of performance (Athey & McIntyre, 1987; Woehr, 1994). The present study tested the hypothesis that, following training, frame-of-reference–trained raters would possess schemas of performance that are more similar to a referent schema, as compared with control-trained raters. Schema accuracy was also hypothesized to be positively related to rating accuracy. Results supported these hypotheses. Implications for frame-of-reference training research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A practicum training program.

"It is the purpose of this paper to describe the development of a state hospital practicum program." "The Southeast Louisiana Hospital from its inception was planned as a facility which would offer unique opportunities in training and research for its professional personnel… . The present census of the hospital is about 360 patients." Fellows in clinical psychology have opportunities for training in diagnostic services, in psychotherapy, and in research. The nature of opportunities for experience in each of these areas is briefly outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A brief feedback intervention for diagnostic overshadowing.

Clinical decision-making errors are well-documented among both experienced clinicians and students. One robust clinical decision-making error is called diagnostic overshadowing (DO), which occurs when the presence of one diagnosis interferes with the detection of other diagnoses. This study tested whether two types of instruction and brief feedback interventions reduced the likelihood of DO. Specifically, content-based feedback and principle-based feedback significantly reduced the likelihood of DO among doctoral students in clinical and counseling psychology (N = 220). An intervention effect was found when the training task and the target task were highly similar. Recommendations for improving diagnostic decision-making among trainees in professional psychology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Feedback and accuracy of clinical predictions.

The investigation stems from a recommendation by Holt that clinicians should have training which makes it possible for them to validate themselves as clinical predictors in much the same way as tests are cross-validated. 3 experiments were devised to provide feedback concerning accuracy of predictions in the expectations that feedback could be used to improve performance. The "clinicians" studied were undergraduate students, and the prediction task involved interpretation of short sentence-completion protocols. In all 3 experiments there was evidence for the superior performance of those Ss who received feedback, but the bulk of the evidence suggested that the feedback effect was attributable to enhancement of motivation of the Ss rather than to specific informational value. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessor training strategies and their effects on accuracy, interrater reliability, and discriminant validity.

This study compares the effects of data-driven assessor training with schema-driven assessor training and control training. The sample consisted of 229 industrial and organizational psychology students and 161 managers who were randomly assigned to 1 of these training strategies. Participants observed and rated candidates in an assessment center exercise. The data-driven and schema-driven assessor training approaches outperformed the control training on all 3 dependent variables. The schema-driven assessor training resulted in the largest values of interrater reliability, dimension differentiation, and accuracy. Managers provided significantly more accurate ratings than students but distinguished less between the dimensions. Practical implications regarding the design of assessor trainings and the composition of assessor teams are proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Report of conference on an ideal training program for psychotherapists.

32 representatives of the fields of clinical psychology, social work, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis discussed a set of 14 working papers. The 3 principal preparations for psychotherapeutic practice today are psychiatric residency, doctoral and postdoctoral programs in clinical psychology, and social work school, plus supervised work in a social work agency. Each has valuable contributions to make. Several types of pilot plans for improved training were proposed as being worth trying. Several kinds of potential institutional settings for such programs were considered. Regarding curriculum, "there was unanimous agreement that supervised experience in doing psychotherapy was of primary importance." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using frame-of-reference training to understand the implications of rater idiosyncrasy for rating accuracy.

Frame-of-reference (FOR) rater training is one technique used to impart a theory of work performance to raters. In this study, the authors explored how raters' implicit performance theories may differ from a normative performance theory taught during training. The authors examined how raters' level and type of idiosyncrasy predicts their rating accuracy and found that rater idiosyncrasy negatively predicts rating accuracy. Moreover, although FOR training may improve rating accuracy even for trainees with lower performance theory idiosyncrasy, it may be more effective in improving errors of omission than commission. The discussion focuses on the roles of idiosyncrasy in FOR training and the implications of this research for future FOR research and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Southern regional mental health program focuses on development of training and research.

"The American psychological profession is taking a leading role in the nation's first regional program to improve mental health and combat mental disease which the Southern Regional Education Board is conducting." The program reached its operational stage with the organization of the Southern Regional Council on Mental Health Training and Research in Atlanta on July 11-12, 1955, following 18 months of surveys and planning. The organization, problems, and activities of the Southern program are discussed. State committees have "… agreed that the need for new knowledge is as acute as the personnel shortage." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sport psychology training within a clinical psychology program and a department of intercollegiate athletics.

Many applicants to clinical and counseling psychology programs are interested in receiving the training needed to practice competently in the professional specialty area of sport psychology. In this article, the authors describe a collaborative training and service relationship between an APA-accredited clinical psychology program and an intercollegiate athletics department. Sport Psychology Services provides performance enhancement, program evaluation, and mental health services to the athletic department. In return, graduate students receive applied training, financial support, and opportunities to conduct research. The authors present program evaluation data and offer practical guidelines to graduate programs wishing to establish similar training opportunities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On context and training.

Our initial reaction to this collection of articles was to exclude the Berger and Jurkovic (see record 1989-12730-001) offering on the grounds that it dealt with clinical practice rather than training psychologists in family systems approaches. However, we did realize a unifying theme in all these articles: that family therapists must consider the importance of context in accomplishing their goals, whether their context is a clinical or training setting. The authors showed an expertise in adapting their methods and concepts to different contexts, modifying goals as appropriate, and gaining in perspective, knowledge, and effectiveness through their openness to a synergistic process. Using case studies, Berger and Jurkovic illustrated the need to analyze and manage the institutional context of therapy in clinical practice. They demonstrated good, if somewhat routine, agency policies, joining with the other agency by using its language or concepts. In reading Lebow's and Ribordy's articles, we reflected on the need to train family psychologists to recognize and intervene on these different contextual levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Doctoral training programs in clinical psychology and in counseling psychology.

"On recommendation of the Committee on Evaluation, the Education and Training Board with the concurrence of the Board of Directors of the American Psychological Association has approved the doctoral training programs in clinical psychology and in counseling psychology" conducted by the institutions listed. Under "Doctoral Programs in Clinical Psychology" 52 institutions are listed; 10 of these are indicated as having received interim approval while the others are undifferentiated by any rating. Under "Doctoral Programs in Counseling Psychology" 26 institutions are listed; 7 of these have interim approval. The institutions listed "have been reported to the United States Public Health Service, to the Veterans Administration, and to The Surgeon General's Office, Department of the Army as conducting at the present time approved programs of doctoral training in areas indicated." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internships for doctoral training in clinical psychology approved by the American Psychological Association.

On the recommendation of the Committee on Evaluation, the Education and Training Board with the concurrence of the Board of Directors of the American Psychological Association has approved the internships for doctoral training in clinical psychology which are offered by the state agencies listed in this article. These internships meet at least the minimum standards stated in the American Psychologist for November 1950, Vol. 5, pp. 594-609. All these agencies provide supervised experience in the three activities of diagnostic work, psychotherapy, and research unless otherwise stated. The committee used the criterion that thorough practicum training in at least two of these activities was a minimum standard for approval. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A note on the training of clinical and counseling psychologists.

"In June of 1958, letters were sent to the department chairmen of the 24 institutions approved by the APA Education and Training Board to train PhD psychologists in both the clinical and counseling specialties… . One-third of the 24 institutions are known to differentiate definitely in course requirements between the two specialties, while only one-eight are known to differentiate definitely in the preliminary examinations used for the two specialties… . Only three of the institutions definitely differentiate between the specialties in terms of both course requirements and preliminary examinations… . it seems obvious that little differentiation is being made between the two specialties in our major training institutions even though these institutions are approved to train for each of the specialties." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of training on the accuracy of Direct Behavior Ratings (DBR).

To date, extant research has not established how rater training affects the accuracy of data yielded from Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) methods. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether providing users of DBR methods with a training session that utilized practice and performance feedback would increase rating accuracy. It was hypothesized that exposure to direct training procedures would result in greater accuracy than exposure to a brief familiarization training session. Results were consistent with initial hypotheses in that ratings conducted by trained participants were more accurate than those conducted by the untrained participants. Implications for future practice and research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A diagnostic interview module for anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence: Preliminary evidence of reliability and validity.

The syndrome of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) dependence, though well recognized, remains poorly studied. In this preliminary psychometric study, American and British investigators separately administered a structured diagnostic interview module, based on recently proposed criteria for AAS dependence, to 42 male AAS users in Middlesbrough, England. Another investigator, blinded to the diagnostic interview findings, assessed self-reported symptoms of “muscle-dysmorphia”; effects of AAS on various aspects of functioning; and maximum proportion of annual income spent on AAS. We also assessed demographic measures, history of other substance use, and performance on a hypothetical AAS-purchasing task. The interview module yielded very good interrater reliability (kappa = 0.76 and overall intraclass correlation = 0.79) and strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.77–0.87). Men diagnosed as AAS-dependent, when compared to nondependent men, reported significantly earlier onset of AAS use, longer duration and higher maximum doses of AAS used, more frequent use of other performance-enhancing drugs, and a somewhat larger maximum percentage of income spent on AAS. Dependent users also “bought” more AAS in the hypothetical purchase task, but rated significantly more negatively the effects of AAS on their mental health—findings all suggesting that the diagnosis of AAS dependence shows construct validity. As a group, AAS users showed high preoccupation with muscular appearance, but dependence per se was not significantly associated with this measure—suggesting that the diagnosis of AAS dependence shows some evidence of discriminant validity. Collectively, these findings suggest that AAS dependence may be diagnosed reliably, with preliminary evidence for construct and discriminant validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparing school psychologists: Perspectives on program design and training goals.

Describes the miniseries found within the current issue of Professional School Psychology: "Preparing School Psychologists: Perspectives on Program Design and Training Goals." Each of the four articles chosen presents a thoughtful and informative analysis of issues related to the miniseries topic. The first article argues for training school psychologists as "data-based problem solvers." The second paper examines the training of ethical principles and behavior in school psychology. The third article explores both the demographics and professional attitudes that are expected to be the major influences upon future training practices in school psychology. The final article of the miniseries presents a rationale for developing training efforts based on the research and principles of behavioral psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A program for training college teachers of psychology: Mark II.

Changes in the program for training psychology teachers at the University of Michigan earlier reported (see 26: 59) are discussed. Major sections are: Selection, Training, Initial Experience, Teaching Experience and the Teaching Seminar, and Evaluating the Program. In the teaching seminar, 2 focal points in discussing the role of phychology in a liberal and general education are (a) a list of objectives for introductory psychology prepared by McKeachie and (b) Claude Buxton's book, College Teaching: A Psychologist's View. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Present status of psychological research and training in hypnosis.

Anonymous questionnaires on training and research in hypnosis were returned by 54 of 55 psychology department chairmen with approved clinical psychology training programs and 39 of 85 American Medical Association approved medical schools. 8 psychology departments and 2 medical schools have courses in hypnosis. Unless the "psychological profession is more active in protecting its rights to research and clinical use of a methodology which is basically psychological, it may find itself legally excluded from the field." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)