Predoctoral Psychology Intern Selection: Does Program Type Make a Difference?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the type of program (school psychology, clinical psychology or counseling psychology) is a factor in the predoctoral psychology internship selection process. Simulated application materials describing a prospective intern, identical in all respects except for the doctoral program type, were randomly sent to 535 directors of Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) internship sites. One-third of the sites each received application materials that indicated that the student's training was in an APA-accredited clinical psychology program, an APA-accredited counseling psychology program, or an APA-accredited school psychology program. Internship directors or intern selection committee members from 302 APPIC-listed internship sites responded, resulting in a 58% response rate. There is a pattern of greater acceptance for students from clinical psychology programs, with students from counseling psychology programs accepted somewhat less frequently, and students from school psychology programs being most often rejected. The results suggest that internship selectors may use a judgment heuristic that clinical psychology students are more suited to internships than are counseling and -especially -school psychology students during initial screening of internship applicants, even though there is no empirical evidence to support the heuristic. Internship selectors are advised to become more aware of potential biases toward students from counseling and school psychology programs.

Internship Training Directors’ Perceptions of School Psychology Internship Applicants

“…The present research is not without limitations. For example, this research had a low response rate, even compared with other studies that surveyed internship training directors that had response rates of more than 50% Gayer et al, 2003). This may reflect the use of an electronic mailing rather than a postal mailing.…”

“…A 15‐ to 20‐minute survey was developed by the researchers in the present study to gain information about why some training directors of APA‐accredited programs that include one or more major rotations with children and/or adolescents choose to allow or prohibit school psychology doctoral students from applying for their internship program. Survey items were developed based on previous literature (i.e., Brown et al., ; Gayer et al., ) and aspects of the APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) that are reviewed when considering applicants (Ginkel, Davis, & Michael, ). The survey included 38 questions that yielded information on 82 variables.…”

Internships in School Psychology: Selection and Accreditation Issues

“…Without a doubt, there is considerable support for the anecdotal reports from SP students about the limited choices of internship sites available to them through the APPIC Match, along with the experience of being “locked out” of many sites. Some previous research also supports this perspective (e.g., Brown, Kissell, & Bolen, ; Gayer, Brown, Gridley, & Treloar, ). It is reasonable to assume that many internship Training Directors perceive SP students as lacking in the skills, background, or experiences that are relevant to their internship sites and thus deem them as unqualified for their programs.…”

Comparing School and Clinical Psychology Internship Applicant Characteristics

“…Previous research suggests that internship training directors perceive school psychology applicants as having less experience providing therapeutic interventions and knowledge of psychopathology, compared with their counterparts from clinical and counseling programs (Gayer, Brown, Gridley & Treloar, ; Mahoney et al., this issue). For example, in one study by Gayer and colleagues (), internship training directors of randomly selected APPIC‐member sites were mailed one of three sets of simulated application materials. Each set of materials was identical with the exception of the applicant's doctoral degree program type (clinical, counseling, or school psychology).…”