Why do Italian psychology graduates dream of becoming psychotherapists?

Abstract

The role of potential motivations for psychotherapy training is receiving growing attention in the context of psychotherapy research. The present study examines the entire decision-making process for undertaking psychotherapy training in Italian psychology graduates. This is a quali-quantitative study using mixed methods and recruiting from a convenience sample. An on-line questionnaire - with open-ended questions about problem/need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase, and post-purchase outcomes - was administered to psychology graduates interested in, undertaking or having already completed psychotherapy training (as types of respondents), overall including 549 participants (86 % females, Mage = 36.27 years). The strategy of analysis consisted of computer-aided text analysis (by using T-Lab software) and content analysis for examining responses and identifying the main themes for each open-ended question. Then, a cluster analysis was performed for grouping respondents from the previously detected themes. Three different clusters of participants were detected (respectively composed of 14.6 %, 51.2 % and 34.2 %) that were different by age, F (2, 455) = 11.878, p < .001, and type of respondents, χ² (4, N = 459) = 27.588, p < .001. Such clusters were mainly featured by different key factors for selecting a psychotherapy school, orientation preferences and motivations for psychotherapy training (p < .05, at 95 % confidence level). Overall, the results highlighted the perception of a gap in previous academic training, a reduced focus on professional development and the use of rigid strategies as critical issues related to the decision to undertake psychotherapy training.

Models of practice and training in psychotherapy: cross-national perspectives from Italy and Canada

“…According to a 2011 census, there is approximately one psychologist for every 680 Italians and one psychotherapist for every 1,621 citizens (Maffei et al ., 2015 ). This high ratio of psychological professionals to patients creates a competitive environment for employment (Caputo et al ., 2021 ). Psychotherapy graduates experience challenges in finding employment and face financial setbacks because of the high supply of working psychotherapists (Maffei et al ., 2015 ).…”

Adaptation and Validation of Dynamic Career Scale (DCS) in Serbian context

“…6 The above mentioned theory, as well as other classical approaches to career development, 6 is based on the paradigm which emphasizes the role of rational processes and behavior. [7][8][9] Recognizing that the rational paradigm offers limited interpretations, several authors suggest that some further personal psychological resources for career adjustment, such as unconscious motivations 10,11 or unconscious barriers 12 should be considered. Thus, taking into account the empirical evidence in favor of the relevance of unconscious dynamics, it would be more appropriate to recognize career decisions and strategies as a product of the mutual influence of rational/conscious and intuitive/unconscious processes.…”

“…Thus, taking into account the empirical evidence in favor of the relevance of unconscious dynamics, it would be more appropriate to recognize career decisions and strategies as a product of the mutual influence of rational/conscious and intuitive/unconscious processes. 7,11,13 In order to enable evaluation of implicit and less conscious dynamics in career adjustment processes, Dynamic Career Scale (DSC) is developed and validated in Italian context. The instrument is grounded in a psychodynamic conceptualization, focused on understanding of the career as the symbolic object that is given an affective meaning, 11,14 and that contains a complex external object including different aspects of reality such as work context, professional status, relationships with colleagues and managers and professional achievement, but also a complex internal object that includes selfimage, goals and abilities.…”

“…7,11,13 In order to enable evaluation of implicit and less conscious dynamics in career adjustment processes, Dynamic Career Scale (DSC) is developed and validated in Italian context. The instrument is grounded in a psychodynamic conceptualization, focused on understanding of the career as the symbolic object that is given an affective meaning, 11,14 and that contains a complex external object including different aspects of reality such as work context, professional status, relationships with colleagues and managers and professional achievement, but also a complex internal object that includes selfimage, goals and abilities. 8 The DCS measurement model is based on four relevant dimensions which are taken from the Melanie Klein's object relation theory, and can be understood as symbolic and relational dynamics potentially coexisting and interacting: true reparation, manic reparation, mania and envy.…”