Psychotherapy training and theoretical orientation in clinical psychology programs: a national survey

A survey of the instructors of the initial psychotherapy course in APA accredited clinical psychology programs investigated the relationship between theoretical orientation and 33 items assessing metatheoretical assumptions, operating constructs, and active components emphasized in psychotherapy instruction. Factor analysis of the 33 items yielded the following factors: Professional Behaviors/Attending Skills, Problem Focused, and Dynamic Constructs. Analysis of variance of the three factors by orientation revealed that only Factor 3 (Dynamic Constructs) was significant with regard to orientation. Significant differences were found between teachers with dynamic and cognitive behavioral orientations and between those with dynamic and behavioral orientations. With the exception of Dynamic Constructs, the assumptions, constructs and components emphasized in psychotherapy training in these courses appear to be similar regardless of the orientation of the instructor.