Becoming a competent clinician: Basic competencies in intervention

Abstract

This article summarizes the results from the Intervention Work Group of the Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology. The generic charge presented to the Intervention Work Group was "to address issues related to interventions." The Intervention Work Group identified four competency components of knowledge, skills, and abilities: (a). foundational competencies; (b). intervention planning; (c). intervention implementation; and (d). intervention evaluation competencies. A fifth component that included "practice management" was labeled as "others." Each component is discussed, including competencies that were deemed an essential knowledge, skill, and/or value. A discussion of training for intervention competence and assessing that intervention competence is included. Future directions for the science and practice of psychology in the intervention arena are summarized. This is one of a series of articles published in this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Several other articles that resulted from the Competencies Conference will appear in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice and The Counseling Psychologist.

Early psychotherapy processes: An examination of client and trainee clinician perspective convergence

“…Recently, understanding the client's opinions and views of what is occurring in therapy has been emphasized as an important skill for trainee therapists to learn in order to achieve an entry level of competency for professional practice (Kaslow, 2004;Spruill, Rozensky, Stigall, Vasquez, Bingham, & Olvey, 2004). Although Tryon et al (2007) included a handful of studies using trainee therapists, further exploration of understanding the strengths and weaknesses of trainees in the area of perspective convergence is needed, given the recent competency movement.…”

Where has all the psychology gone?

“…(Gannon & Lockerbie, 2014;Nelson et al, 2006). Thus, effective treatment provision is flexible and constructed upon a broad based understanding of each clientÕs particular needs (Koerner et al, 2011;Norcross, 2002;Persons, 2006Persons, , 2008Persons & Tomkins, 2007;Spruill et al, 2004;Sturmey, 2009;Whiston & Coker, 2000).…”

“…21! translation of psychological knowledge into procedural action; Benner, 2001;Etringer & Hillerbrand, 1995;Lilienfeld et al, 2013;Spruill et al, 2004). Research strongly suggests that competent professionals are more expert in their ability to both detect and adapt to varying client needs; increasing the likelihood of behavior change (Luborsky et al, 1988;Marshall & Burton, 2010).…”

Teaching Clinical Competence

“…Designed to be "a starting point for the eventual identification of core competencies for psychologists in professional practice" (p. 695), the conference brought together a diverse group of individuals "representing both undergraduate and graduate training programs, internship and postdoctoral training programs, credentialing and regulatory bodies, various professional organizations, and private practitioners" (p. 696). The conference's "Intervention Work Group" (Spruill, Rozensky, Stigall, Vasquez, Bingham, & Olvey, 2004) identified six basic foundational competencies that cut across all psychotherapy intervention models. These include competencies P. F. Lytle Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy, http://pcsp/libraries.rutgers.edu Volume 3, Module 3, Article 5, pp.…”