The development of therapeutic attitudes during and after psychotherapy training

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore changes in psychotherapeutic attitudes of students during training in psychodynamic psychotherapy and the first few years after it. Forty-six students were asked to answer a therapeutic identity questionnaire at three times during training and at one time after it. Twenty-one students completed the questionnaire on all four occasions. The questionnaire assessed attitudes on nine scales relating to beliefs about curative elements in psychotherapy, therapeutic style, and basic assumptions about psychotherapy and human nature. At the beginning of training, students had a clear psychoanalytical orientation, similar to that of their supervisors. From the last year of training, after supervision had ended, and continuing during the post-training period, students distanced themselves from the psychoanalytical orientation and their supervisors toward a more eclectic position. This development may reflect the formation of an autonomous therapeutic identity.Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, die Veraenderungen psychotherapeutischer Haltungen von Studenten waehrend ihrer Ausbildung in psychodynamischer Psychotherapie und in den ersten Jahren nach Abschluss der Ausbildung zu untersuchen. 46 Studenten waren dreimal waehrend ihrer Ausbildung und einmal nach dem Abschluss derselben gebeten worden, einen Fragebogen hinsichtlich ihrer therapeutischen Identitaet auszufuellen. Davon fuellten 21 den Fragebogen tatsaechlich viermal aus. Der Fragebogen bewertete auf neuen Skalen die Ansichten der Befragten hinsichtlich heilender Elemente in der Psychotherapie, hinsichtlich therapeutischer Stile und hinsichtlich grundsaetzlicher Annahmen bezueglich Psychotherapie als solcher und der Natur des Menschen. Die Untersuchung ergab, dass die Studenten zu Beginn ihrer Ausbildung eine eindeutig psychoanalytische Orientierung verfolgten, die der ihrer Supervisoren entsprach. Mit dem letzten Ausbildungsjahr, nach Beendigung der Supervision und waehrend der auf die Ausbildung folgenden Zeit haben sich die Studenten von der psychoanalytischen Ausrichtung und den Supervisoren distanziert und sich zu einer eklektischen Position hinentwickelt. Diese Entwicklung koennte die Begruendung einer eigenstaendigen therapeutischen Identitaet widerspiegeln.El objetivo de este studio fue explorar los cambios en las actitudes terape´uticas de los estudiantes durante su formacio´n en terapia psicodina´-mica y en los primeros an˜os despue´s de terminada e´sta. Se pidio´a 46 estudiantes responder a un cuestionario sobre identidad terape´utica, tres veces durante la formacio´n y una vez despue´s de finalizada. 21 estudiantes completaron el cuestionario en todas las cuatro ocasiones. El cuestionario evaluoĺ as actitudes en 9 escalas relativas a sus creencias en relacio´n con el element curative en psicoterapia, sus supuestos ba´sicos y la naturaleza humana. Al comienzo de su entrenamiento, los estudiantes tenı´an una clara orientacio´n psicolo´gica, semejante a la de sus supervisores. Despue´s del u´ltimo an˜o, habiendo finalizad...

On Becoming a Therapist: A Narrative Inquiry of Personal–Professional Development and the Training of Clinical Psychologists

“…As novices, the majority of participants in the present study found the structure of cognitive behaviour therapy to be a logical and useful foundation, well suited to helping them manage uncertainty. The developmental nature of personal–professional development, however, does not mean that clinical programs can afford to minimise the personal (Carlsson et al, ; Rønnestad & Skovholt, ). Each of the clinical psychologists in this study recommended that personal development be included in training, so as to ease the distress they experienced and better synchronise the development of the whole person from the start.…”

“…No comprehensive models have been developed which elucidate the interplay between the personal and professional development of clinical psychologists training or working in the cognitive behavioural tradition. Yet several models have been proposed for therapist working in the psychoanalytic and counselling traditions, all which describe a common trajectory of therapist development towards individuation or an individualised working style (Carlsson, Norberg, Schubert, & Sandell, ; Rønnestad & Skovholt, ).…”

Influence of personal therapy on learning and development of psychotherapeutic skills

“…Psychoanalytical theory becomes alive and can be implemented and expressed in a personal way. Indeed, following a sample of therapists during their training and 5 years thereafter, Carlsson, Norberg, Schubert, and Sandell (2011) found systematic change towards the formation of an autonomous therapeutic identity. Personal aspects will not be obstacles but rather prerequisites for the development of professional psychotherapeutic skills (Mackey & Mackey, 1994).…”

The use of self-disclosure among Swedish psychotherapists

“…Self-psychology and psychodynamic theories based on relational and existential ideas are more accepting of psychotherapist selfdisclosure than orthodox orientations (Safran, 2012). In Sweden, many psychodynamic therapists have become, through training and current research findings, more attentive to creating a helpful relationship with the patient and may for this reason be less reticent than earlier generations of psychodynamic psychotherapists (Carlsson, Norberg, Schubert, & Sandell, 2011).…”