A survey of perceived attitudes toward psychotherapy among Thai psychiatrists

Psychotherapy is a crucial treatment for various mental health conditions, with its effectiveness supported by substantial evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of psychiatrists and psychiatric trainees in Thailand toward psychotherapy, including its utilization, training preferences, barriers to access, and views on digital resources, to help guide future psychiatric training and practice in the country.

The 190-item ATPsySEA questionnaire evaluated attitudes toward psychotherapy across four domains: general attitudes, evidence-based utilization, barriers to access, and future training or digital perspectives. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling strategy via email and official chat channels. A total of 74 mental health professionals in Thailand completed the survey, comprising 67 psychiatrists and 7 psychiatric trainees. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Respondents generally held positive attitudes toward psychotherapy. No prominent differences in attitudes were observed across demographic or clinical practice characteristics. A majority (63.5%) viewed being a psychotherapist as integral to their professional identity. While time constraints were acknowledged, most (75.6%) incorporated psychotherapy into their practice, often combined with pharmacotherapy (72.9%). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), supportive psychotherapy, and mindfulness-based psychotherapy were the most frequently utilized. Barriers to access included time constraints (45.9%), systemic limitations (24.3%), and perceived lack of skill (9.5%). Respondents expressed a strong interest in further training, particularly in CBT and basic therapeutic skills.

Thai psychiatrists and trainees hold positive attitudes towards psychotherapy, but face barriers to its implementation such as limited clinical time. Despite these insights, the results are subject to selection and social desirability biases inherent in the recruitment method and self-reporting format, necessitating a cautious interpretation of the data.

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