Effectiveness of a three-month training program in psychotherapeutic intervention for family practice residents

To evaluate the influence on knowledge, perceived skills, and attitudes of a psychotherapeutic intervention program for family practice residents.

Between 1991 and 1993, a nonrandomized controlled study, using a pretest-posttest design, was used to compare a treatment group of 38 residents with a control group of 16 residents at two family medicine clinics affiliated with the Université de Montréal and Laval University Faculties of Medicine. The residents participated in a structured series of 12 seminars dedicated to psychotherapeutic interventions by family doctors. Three instruments were used to measure knowledge, perceived skills, and attitudes. Statistical analysis included two-tailed chi-square with Yates' correction and the Mann-Whitney test.

Ten residents in the treatment group and one in the control group were excluded from analysis because they did not complete all the evaluations. Greater percentages of residents in the treatment group improved their perceived skills (89% versus 56%, p = .003), and their knowledge (82% versus 50%, p = .06).

Skills of the "how-to" type improved more than relational skills. No significant effect on attitude was observed.