A process-based competence evaluation for evidence-based dissemination (PROCEED): a study protocol.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychotherapy Research
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Limited evidence links therapist competence to treatment success.
• Current competency assessments are subjective and context-dependent.
• A new tool is needed to objectively evaluate psychotherapeutic skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel video-based tool, the process-based competence task (PBCT), for assessing psychotherapeutic competencies.
• To establish the tool's sensitivity to prior training and responsiveness to further training.
• To examine the relationship between therapist competence and treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

• The process-based competence task (PBCT) was developed based on process-based therapy (PBT).
• Validation involved assessing sensitivity to prior training across student, trainee, and therapist groups (n=240).
• Responsiveness to further training was evaluated in trainees and students (n=160), and competence-outcome links were examined in novice therapists (n=70).

Main Results:

• The study is designed to validate the PBCT's sensitivity and responsiveness to training.
• It will investigate the association between therapist competence and client treatment outcomes.
• Results are expected to provide empirical evidence on the importance of therapist training.

Conclusions:

• The process-based competence task (PBCT) is a novel tool for assessing therapist competence.
• The PBCT aims to reflect clinical skill development and knowledge of therapeutic change processes.
• This tool is expected to be sensitive to training, responsive to further learning, and capable of detecting competence-outcome associations.