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The Self Study Experience: A Survey of Training Directors
Kim Hays, Mollie Herman, Sarah Armstrong, Jef Kahn
Context and Purpose
Why We Did This Research….
Our “lived experience” and reports from colleagues of stress from self study preparation
Reflections on the shortfall of accredited internship positions
Might we learn anything that could improve the situation?
Goals of the Research
To understand TDs experience with self studies: their feelings, strategies, and advice
To learn how much time was devoted to self study preparation
To solicit feedback for CoA regarding the self study
Our Research Process Developed our
research team Obtained IRB approval
at through Illinois State University
Obtained permission to email APPIC Training Directors
Constructed our survey, Categorizing sites
Invited 671 TDs from American Sites via email invitation.
Re-invited respondents
31% response rate (n = 211)
Analyzed results and writing with assistance of Dr. Jef Kahn
Characteristics of our Sample
Type of Internship Setting
24% University counseling centers 22% “Other” Hospital Settings 15% Veteran’s Administration Hospitals 15% Community Mental Health 10% Consortium 10% Other settings 3% Correctional 2% Private Practice
Sample Characteristics
Accreditation Status
78% Accredited programs
15% Seeking Accreditation
1% On Probation
6% Not Accredited
Sample Characteristics
Training Director Demographics
66% Female 34% Male 84% White (non-Hispanic) 3.5% Latina/Latino 3.5% Multi-Racial 2% African American 1% Native American
Sample Characteristics
Years As Training Director
1-3 years 4-6 years 7-9 years 10-12 years
13-15 years
16-20 years
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
Experience Writing Self Studies
zero one two three four five six seveneight
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Number of Self Studies completed by Sample
Number of Self Studies
Perc
en
tate
com
ple
tin
g
Top 3 Reasons to Seek Accreditation
To attract the highest quality interns 81%
To insure the quality of the training program 72%
To maintain our tradition of APA accreditation 36%
Other Reasons to Seek Accreditation
To promote employment options for our interns 28%
To increase the quality of training in the field 27%
To bring distinction to our work setting 25%
To recruit and retain high caliber staff 16%
Other 8% (e.g. required by setting)
Barriers to Seeking Accreditation
Administrative Overhead required 60% Financial (Application and site visitor fee)
50% Other 30% (e.g. time required for a self study) Lack of expertise to design program and write a self study
25% Training time conflicts with service demands 25% Lack of support from upper administration 20% Lack of interest by co-workers 15% Lack of funding to pay interns 15% Lack sufficient staff 5% (n=20)
Nothing more than Feelings…
How Training Directors Felt about Completing the Self study
Impact on Feelings about TD Role
Strong positive influence 10%
Both a positive and negative influence 42%
No discernible difference 5%
Strong negative influence 14%
(n=175)
Themes from Comments
Positive It validates my work,
feeling of accomplishment
Instructive to review and improve the program
Negative Excessive Time
required and sacrificing evenings and weekends
Negative emotional reactions
Complaints about details and redundancy
Limited utility for improving program
How TD’s View Writing a Self Study
It would cause me duress to write another self study but it’s something I have to do 45% (n=80)
While a lot of work, the benefits make me feel ‘ok’ about writing the next self study (31% n=55)
I would sooner retire than write another self study (19% n=33)
It doesn’t really affect me either way to think about writing my next self study (4% n=7)
I look forward to my next self study (1% n=1)
Interesting Notes
No significant differences between those who attended vs. those who did not attend the CoA workshops on “How to Write a Self Study” re: feelings about TD role.
Writing more self studies was associated with more negative feelings about being a training director. r =.28, p<.001
Feedback for CoA
Helpfulness Ratings of Components
Policies/Procedures
How sequential, cumulative and graded in complexity
Goals, Objectives, Competencies
Distal Outcomes
Proximal Outcomes
Outcome measures and minimum Thresholds
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Very USomewhat UNeither HUSomewhat HVery H
Helpfulness Ratings of Components
Sample Schedules & Seminar Descriptions
Demographics of classes
Training Model
Required activities expected competencies
Intern selection procedures
Staff Vitae
Efforts to attract diverse interns
0% 20% 40% 60%
Very USomewhat UNeither HUSomewhat HVery H
Suggestions for CoA Reduce the redundancy (29%)
Make the self study shorter and simpler (16%)
Provide clearer instructions (14%)
Provide more outreach/consultation from APA (9%)
(n = 140)
Suggestions for CoA Provide User friend templates to help
organize data and report (6%)
Provide examples of “good answers” or self studies (5%)
Format that accurately reflects program individuality or allows for more flexible narratives (4%)
Require less data (4%)(n = 140)
Strategies and Tips
From the survey and the presenters
Completion strategiesWHO WROTE IT
TD alone, with or without some input: 67%
TD plus other staff sharing the writing: 21%
HOW WAS IT WRITTEN
TD got limited or no release time: 52%
Other staff got limited or no release time: 85%
TD never consulted with CoA: 40%
TD never consulted listserv: 63%
Suggested Strategies Set aside enough time (22%) (Mean time =
224 hours) Start early and plan ahead (15%) Learn about self studies and site visits
(18%) Seek support and consultation (13%) Stay on top of it (10%) Ask for help from others (6%) Get samples of, or read, other self studies
(4%)
Tips to Make it Easier
Reduce the number of training goals
Check the “evolving” self study instructions on the CoA website
The G&P (Guidelines and Principles) are being replaced. Standards of Accreditation in Health Service Psychology (SoA) and the Accreditation
Operating Procedures (AOP) will be the new guidelines.
Tips to Make it Easier
Attend CoA workshops on “How to Prepare A Self Study” and “Site Visitor Training”
Begin collecting and organizing information now
Looking to the future, “groom” your replacement
Social Support, Self Care, Attitude
References American Psychology Association Board of
Educational Affairs (BEA). (2011). BEA statement on accreditation. Nov, 2011. Retrieved from http://apaoutside.apa.org/EducCSS/Pulblic/pdfs/BEA_Statement_Accreditiation.pdf
American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. (2014) Standards of Accreditation in Health Service Psychology (SoA). Retrieved January 27, 2014 from http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/default.aspx