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