Trainees' Impressions of Psychotherapy and Psychotherapists

Abstract

128 advanced graduate students in clinical and school psychology programs were administered incomplete sentences to determine their impressions of psychotherapy and psychotherapists. The main concern of the psychology students was improving the results of the psychotherapies. They considered the therapist's personality the major vehicle for doing this, though attention was also given to cognitive factors. Some comparisons were made with practicing psychiatrists. Psychologists tended to have negative attitudes toward institutional work and positive attitudes toward private practice. The consistent concern with the effectiveness of the psychotherapies suggested a need for practical research and for opportunities for emotional growth and self-understanding, as well as the probability that one major learning experience in their training has been to question and seek better ways of doing their professional activities.