Training and Education in Professional Psychology

Improving responses to challenging scenarios in therapy: A randomized controlled trial of a deliberate practice training program.
In the last decade, deliberate practice (DP)—a process of formally and systematically training for performance objectives just beyond an individual’s current ability—has emerged as a promising approach for enhancing therapeutic effectiveness. In view of the paucity of prospective studies, an experimental design with a series of challenging clinical vignettes was developed to test whether DP could improve, as well as generalize therapist ability to manage challenging encounters in therapy. When results from a pilot study showed promise for increasing participants’ skills, a multicenter, unblinded randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the use of DP as a training framework. Seventy-two participants (39 in experimental group, 33 in control group) were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group, with the former receiving ongoing feedback to guide DP and the latter limited to engaging in self-reflection. On average, participants in the DP condition not only improved, but were also able to generalize newly acquired knowledge and skills to novel, challenging clinical scenarios. By contrast, no change was observed among participants in the control condition. A review of the extant literature shows this to be the first study to include all four components of DP in psychotherapy training: (1) individualized learning objectives based on an assessment of the performer’s baseline ability, (2) targeted feedback, (3) successive refinement, and (4) guidance from a coach. Caveats and implications for training are discussed and explored. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Communication training for the provision of psychological assessment feedback: An exploratory randomized controlled study.
In psychology, few studies have focused on the programs used to train the skills needed to communicate the psychological assessment feedback. This exploratory study assesses two types of analogue online training in this context. Sixty-nine graduate psychology students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: simulation-based learning (SBL) with either a standardized patient (SP) or 360° immersive videos (360IV), or a waiting list. Both types of training targeted skills related to empathic communication, improvement of patient understanding, and participation in decision making. Pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments were based on recorded role-play with patient–actors. First, the skills trained were assessed by blind raters. Then, patient–actors assessed students’ empathy and their confidence in the students in their role as clinicians. Finally, students assessed their own empathy, self-efficacy, and stress. The study aimed to explore whether skills are improved in both experimental conditions (SBL-SP and SBL-360IV) as compared with the control condition. Results showed that SBL-SP resulted in improvements on all assessments. No significant changes were observed in the 360IV condition for blind rater assessments, whereas significant improvements were observed when the patient–actors assessed empathy. In conclusion, SBL-SP appears to be effective in improving clinical communication during psychological assessment feedback, while SBL-360IV appears promising but requires further finetuning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Objective structured therapeutic examination (OSTE) for the assessment of psychodynamic intervention competencies in psychotherapy trainees.
Objective structured clinical examinations have a long tradition in medical education. In psychotherapy training, this format is on the rise. The aim of this study was to prove reliability and feasibility of an objective structured therapeutic examination (OSTE) for the assessment of psychodynamic intervention competencies. Twelve psychotherapy trainees took part in a formative four-station OSTE designed to assess specific psychodynamic intervention competencies (confrontation, affect differentiation, empathetic validation, resistance interpretation). Four standardized patient scenarios were developed to evaluate the respective psychodynamic interventions at the video-taped stations. Performance was assessed using observer-rated intervention-specific and general communication rating scales. Interrater reliability of four video-raters and reliability of the OSTE were determined. Trainees rated feasibility, face validity, and perceived stress on Likert Scales. Interrater reliability (Kendall’s W) referring to intervention-specific competencies was 0.85 in the mean and 0.72 for general communication competencies, respectively. Cronbach’s α of the intervention-specific rating scale was .74 on average and .83 for the general communication scale, respectively. Extrapolated to a 10-station OSTE, Cronbach’s α was estimated as .88 for the intervention-specific rating scale and .92 for the general communication rating scale. Participants evaluated the OSTE format as appropriate to mirror their therapeutic competencies. An OSTE for the assessment of psychodynamic intervention competencies in psychodynamic psychotherapy training proves to be reliable and feasible. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
The cross-racial training approach: A practical training framework.
In an effort to move beyond applied psychology’s culturally encapsulated Eurocentric worldview, several guidelines on how to responsively work across cultures have recently been set forth by the profession (e.g., American Psychological Association, 2017; Ridley et al., 2021; Sue et al., 2022). However, many of these guidelines focus on the acquisition of knowledge and not skills. Thus, this article proposes a coherent framework through which cross-racial psychotherapy skills can be developed among graduate-level students. More specifically, we look at the impact of salient topics such as racialized trauma and race and culture in therapy as well as challenges and considerations in cross-cultural training and propose the cross-racial training approach, a five-level training model consisting of trainee awareness, therapeutic safety, broaching, insight work, and healing work that is designed for White and Black, Indigenous, and people of color trainees. We present two clinical vignettes to demonstrate the model. The article concludes with a discussion of the model’s potential strengths, shortcomings, and implications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
The impact of working with forced migrants in the context of graduate research training.
Researchers, including graduate students, who work with refugees and asylum seekers are exposed to narratives of torture, trauma, loss, and distress. This article features the testimonies of the authors as doctoral students and mental health researchers-in-training—as well as their supervisors—regarding their research with the immigrant community in an underserved area on the Texas U.S.–Mexico border, a popular migratory entry point for Central American immigrants seeking asylum in the United States. This article aimed to bear witness to the emotional impact that working with forced migrants may have on researchers by describing the experiences of doctoral students conducting research with asylum seekers in the context of their graduate training in clinical psychology. The authors’ narratives highlight that conducting research with forced migrants is a challenging but also an enriching and rewarding experience. Graduate students and researchers working with this population need to be aware of the emotional impact of this type of work on trainees and supervisors alike and the inherent risk of vicarious traumatization. Drawing from the cognitive processing theory model of posttraumatic growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004), the authors propose that engaging in reflective practice and meaning-making processes may assist researchers-in-training connect to and acknowledge the meaningful aspects of their work. Ultimately, these practices may counterbalance the difficulties of conducting research with trauma-exposed forced migrants in the United States as evidenced in the authors’ testimonies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
The use of video in supervision: Is it all about social norm?
The use of video is often regarded as an integral part of effective psychotherapy supervision. However, surveys show that videos are seldom used in regular supervision practice. This study analyzed some of the motivational factors that might facilitate or hinder the use of video-based supervision. Based on the theory of planned behavior, an online survey was conducted in 2020. It was used to assess the use of video at two time points, 8 weeks apart. Data of N = 130 supervisees and N = 44 supervisors were analyzed with regression analyses. Analyses revealed an apparently strong effect of self-reported subjective norms on the intention to use videos for both the supervisees and supervisors. Supervisees’ and supervisors’ attitudes, operationalized as self-reported evaluations of the instrumentality and experiential quality of video supervision, were unrelated to behavioral intention. Perceived behavioral control only predicted behavioral intention in the supervisor sample and was unrelated to the self-reported actual use of video in both samples. The results seem to suggest that subjective norms may play a key role in the implementation of video-supported supervision. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Prevalence and navigation of discrimination and microaggression experiences in psychotherapy and supervision processes among therapists in training.
The mental health care field is committed to increasing diversity within its training programs, yet research shows that therapist trainees, especially those of marginalized backgrounds, have experienced discrimination and microaggressions from their clients and supervisors. This study aimed to quantitatively explore the prevalence of discrimination and microaggression experiences in both psychotherapy and supervision processes among therapists in training and how these experiences are navigated. A total of 101 therapist trainees (82% female, 10.9% male, 6.9% nonbinary/other; 56% White, 14% Asian, 5% Black, 8% Hispanic/Latinx, 3% Middle East or North African, 15% multiracial/other; 57% heterosexual, 6% gay/lesbian, 36% bisexual/pansexual/other) reported their experiences and ways to navigate discrimination and microaggression experiences during the psychotherapy and supervision processes. Therapist trainees experienced more discrimination and microaggression events from their clients than supervisors. Trainees who identified as White or heterosexual had significantly less frequent discrimination and microaggression experiences from supervisors compared with trainees who identified as Black, Indigenous, people of color or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. When navigating discrimination and microaggression experiences, many trainees frequently chose to identify key issues in deciding how to respond to discrimination, practice self-care, and talk to a supervisor. Most trainees find reflecting on key issues and talking to their supervisor to be very helpful. We highlight implications and provide recommendations to help trainees navigate professional settings and to help mentors, supervisors, and program administrators provide adequate support to their trainees. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
South Korean supervisors’ multicultural orientation and satisfactory multicultural supervision: Mediating effects of supervisory working alliance and supervision outcomes.
The purpose of the study was to examine the multicultural orientation framework with respect to the clinical supervision in a sample of South Korean supervisees. A total of 161 supervisees completed a research packet including the following scales: Cultural Humility Scale-Supervision, Cultural Opportunities Scale-Supervision, Supervision Outcome Scale, Working Alliance Inventory-Trainees version, and Supervisory Satisfaction Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a sequential mediation model. The results indicated that the full sequential mediation model was significant, in which supervisors’ cultural humility and cultural opportunities related supervisees’ or clients’ cultural backgrounds affected supervisees’ perceived high levels of supervisory working alliance and the perception of improvements in clinical and multicultural competencies, leading to increased satisfaction with the supervision. Implications and future research directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)

Training and Education in Professional Psychology - Vol 19, Iss 1