Theoretical orientations of spanish psychotherapists: Integration and eclecticism as modern and postmodern cultural trends.

Abstract

In this article, we focus on the theoretical orientations of Spanish psychotherapists with reference to the concepts of integration and eclecticism associated respectively with the cultural patterns of modernity and postmodernity. Data are reported from 179 Spanish therapists who responded to the Development of Psychotherapists Common Core Questionnaire (Orlinsky et al., 1999). The results indicated that these Spanish therapists do not show a tendency toward postmodern eclecticism, suggesting that present clinical practice in Spain still needs high-profile theoretical constructs.

General Overview of Psychotherapeutic Practice in Poland. Results from a Nationwide Survey

“…The proportion of gender varies among countries; some are dominated by women (e.g. the UK, Canada, Australia, Argentina, China, India; [ 11 – 16 ]; some by men (New Zealand, South Korea; [ 14 , 17 ]; and in some the proportions are relatively equal (Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Norway; [ 18 – 20 ]. However, even in countries in which the profession is dominated by women, the proportions are smaller than in Poland.…”

“…The results from other studies show that there are countries with younger populations of therapists (e.g. South Korea – 34, China – 37, Argentina – 37 [ 17 ]; [ 12 , 16 ]), but in most of the surveyed countries the age of the therapists is higher (Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, India, New Zealand, [ 14 , 15 , 18 – 20 ]; in some exceeding even 50 years (USA, Canada, UK, Australia; [ 11 , 13 , 14 , 21 ]. The average age above 50 may reflect the fact that in those countries most people enter the profession later in life as a second career, which probably occurs rarely in Poland; for example, in a survey conducted among psychotherapists in the UK, 95 % of respondents had another profession prior to psychotherapy [ 11 ].…”

“…In most countries, psychotherapy as a profession is dominated by psychologists (e.g. Spain, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, India; [ 12 , 14 , 15 , 18 – 20 ] However, in some countries the main group consists of psychiatrists (e.g. Germany, South Korea; [ 17 – 19 ]) or social workers (Australia; [ 13 ]).…”

“…This variable is strongly connected with the mean age of the therapists. Other studies show that the average experience varies from 5.6 to 24.4 years in different countries [ 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 22 ]. The average experience of Polish therapists seems to be longer than that of therapists from South Korea, China and Germany, but shorter than that of therapists from Norway, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada.…”

“…There is little variation among other countries concerning this variable. Almost all (79–93 %) therapists in all of the surveyed countries underwent personal therapy [ 14 , 18 , 20 , 23 ].…”