Diversity within the field of professional psychology rests heavily on the diversity of the training-toworkforce pipeline. Two major waypoints play a pivotal role in this process, namely admission to (and hence representation within) and retention in doctoral training programs. The present study reports student population data regarding three types of diversity (i.e., race/ethnicity, disability, and gender identification) within doctoral psychology education. Diversity data from the full population of enrolled doctoral students in accredited psychology programs throughout the United States from 2005-2015 were obtained from the American Psychological Association's Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation. Analyses focused on (a) establishing the representation of diverse peoples, according to race/ ethnicity, disability, and gender identification; and (b) identifying the rate of attrition among these groups. Despite no evidence of significant differences in quantitative academic qualifications (i.e., grade point average or graduate record examination scores), Black or African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, individuals with disabilities, and men were found to be underrepresented relative to the U.S. population at large. These same groups, in addition to Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, also evidenced higher attrition from doctoral programs. Professional psychology's training-to-workforce pipeline lacks the diversity of the U.S. population at large, at least with respect to race/ethnicity, disability, and gender identification. Findings suggest processes at the point of admission, more than those involving retention, are most at fault.
A significant innovation in the training of doctoral level professional psychologists, attention to diversity, was implemented nearly 3 decades ago and swept across all accredited programs. Regardless of training model, degree type, or theoretical orientation, attention to diversity became a requirement for program accreditation with the intention of fostering important competencies in the emerging workforce who would be serving an increasingly diverse population during their professional careers. However, to date, whether that is what occurred has not been examined. The current study used archival data to examine the association between client racial/ethnic minority (REM) status and early termination from adult individual psychotherapy (N ϭ 638). Multilevel modeling analyses (MLM) revealed that REM clients were more likely to terminate treatment after 1 session than non-REM clients. However, REM status did not account for the total number of sessions attended, nor was it a significant predictor of symptom change during treatment. The findings suggest that training focused specifically on first session competencies, such as treatment engagement, with REM clients is strongly needed. More broadly, the findings underscore the importance of examining innovations following implementation to determine whether the intended effects are observed or if refinements may be needed. Clinical Impact StatementRacial/ethnic minority (REM) clients terminate psychotherapy after the first session significantly more often than non-REM clients. However, if REM clients are retained beyond that critical first session, neither the length of treatment (i.e., number of sessions) nor overall change in symptom distress across the course of treatment significantly differ from non-REM clients. The findings suggest need for innovation in developing needed skills and competencies to effectively engage REM clients during the very first session.
In this introduction to the special issue "Supervisee Perspectives on Supervision Processes," we provide a theoretical grounding and overview the research context of the articles across the special issue. With respect to theory, the articles in this special issue are conceptualized as reflecting key intersecting input, process, and output variables in the generic model of supervision. To provide additional context for the articles in this special issue, key themes emerging from research in supervision are also summarized: Supervision can benefit supervisees, expertise unfolds developmentally, multiculturalism impacts supervision, the supervisory relationship is highly important, and supervision may impact client outcomes. Limitations in the extant research literature (inattention to discipline-specific effects; poor vigilance in thwarting Type II errors) are also discussed. Encouragement is broadly offered for pluralistic methodological contributions to the much underresearched area of supervision in health service psychology. Public Significance StatementThis article provides a research grounding and conceptual framework for the special issue "Supervisee Perspectives on Supervision Processes." Two key research findings informed the call for submissions to this special issue: (a) supervisee perceptions of the alliance with their supervisor impact supervision outcomes, and (b) multicultural variables impact the experience of supervision. This special issue provides multiple examples of each of these findings, drawing from the lived experiences of the student authors themselves. Supervisors are encouraged to allow these personal narratives to accordingly inform their supervisory practices.
In this introduction to the special issue on Supervisee Perspectives of Supervision Processes, we overview salient extant research findings and provide a theoretical grounding to provide a supportive context for the collection of articles in this curated issue. The enclosed articles provide first person narrative examples of several extant research findings: clinical expertise unfolds developmentally; multiculturalism impacts supervision; the supervisory relationship is highly important; supervision can benefit supervisees; and supervision may impact client psychotherapy outcomes. While encouragement is broadly offered for pluralistic methodological contributions to the underresearched area of supervision, care in avoiding known limitations from the extant research literature (inattention to disciplinespecific effects; poor vigilance in thwarting Type II errors) are also discussed in this introduction to the special issue. Public Significance StatementThis article provides a conceptual framework and research grounding for the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration's special issue on Supervisee Perspectives of Supervision Processes. Two key research findings informed the call for submissions to this special issue: (1) multicultural variables impact the experience of supervision, and (2) supervisee perceptions of the alliance with their supervisor impact supervision outcomes. Drawing from the lived experiences of the student authors themselves, the articles across the special issue provide multiple examples of each of these findings. Use of these personal narratives to inform supervisory practices is encouraged.
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