The Importance of Personal Statements in Counselor Education and Psychology Doctoral Program Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Davis ◽  
Jason F. Doll ◽  
William R. Sterner
Keyword(s):  
Counselor Education ◽  
Graduate School ◽  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Counseling Psychology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Empirical Information ◽  
Psychology Doctoral

Personal statements are an important component of applications for counselor education and psychology doctoral programs. However, a paucity of empirical information exists about what types of content are viewed favorably and how this content influences admissions decisions. In the current study, 97 faculty members from clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and counselor education doctoral programs completed an online survey about how favorably they viewed content included in personal statements. Respondents viewed personal statements as the most important component of an application, and there were no significant differences in favorability ratings of content or stylistic issues across program types. Recommendations for those mentoring students applying to graduate school and faculty reviewing applications were provided.

Questionable Research Practices among Faculty and Students in APA-accredited Clinical and Counseling Psychology Doctoral Programs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Swift ◽  
Cody D Christopherson ◽  
Megan Bird ◽  
Amanda Zold ◽  
Jonathan Goode
Keyword(s):  
Graduate School ◽  
Counseling Psychology ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Questionable Research Practices ◽  
Clinical And Counseling Psychology ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Psychology Doctoral

This study examines self-reported engagement in questionable research practices (QRPs) by faculty (N = 164) and students (N = 110) in American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs. Both faculty and student participants were asked to report their own engagement as well as the engagement of their graduate school mentor in 12 QRPs. Nearly 65% of the faculty participants and 50% of the student participants reported engaging in at least one QRP. The most commonly reported QRP was selectively reporting findings that worked (35% for faculty, 26% for students) and the least commonly admitted was falsifying data (0% for faculty, 1% for students). Total number of QRPs engaged in was significantly predicted by knowledge of mentor engagement in QRPs (explaining 34% of the variance for faculty and 19% of the variance for students), but it was not predicted by degree year, number of publications, or self-reported researcher reputation. These results suggest that QRPs do occur in the field, but perhaps at lower levels than had previously been thought. They also suggest that additional training in QRPs is needed. Training implications and future directions are discussed.

scholarly journals Real change or performative anti-racism? Clinical psychology programs' efforts to recruit and retain BIPOC scholars

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chardée Galán ◽  
Molly Anne Bowdring ◽  
Irene Tung ◽  
Stefanie Sequeira ◽  
Christine Call ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Racial Discrimination ◽  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Psychology Programs ◽  
Recruitment And Retention ◽  
Clinical Psychology Programs ◽  
Mental Health Workforce ◽  
Psychology Doctoral

Objective. The present study assessed perceptions of Clinical Psychology doctoral programs’ efforts to recruit and retain Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and graduate students, as well as differences in such perceptions based on participants’: (1) position within their program (i.e., graduate student versus faculty) and (2) race.Method. Participants (n = 297) were graduate students and faculty from Clinical Psychology PhD and PsyD programs who completed an anonymous online survey. The survey assessed: perceptions of Clinical Psychology doctoral programs’ efforts to recruit and retain BIPOC graduate students and faculty members; participants’ sense of belonging and perceptions of racial discrimination within programs; and BIPOC participants’ experiences of cultural taxation and racism within their programs.Results. Faculty reported significantly greater perceptions of recruitment and retention efforts as well as less perceptions of racial discrimination than did graduate students. Asian, Black, and Latinx participants reported significantly less perceptions of recruitment and retention efforts and sense of belongingness, as well as greater perceptions of racial discrimination than did White participants. Experiences of cultural taxation were common among BIPOC participants, and approximately half (46.60%) reported that they have considered leaving academia - and approximately one third (31.37%) have considered leaving their program - due to experiences of racism in their program or field. Conclusions. Experiences of cultural taxation and racial discrimination are pervasive in Clinical Psychology PhD and PsyD programs. Whether intentional or not, these behaviors contribute to racially toxic environments and contribute to leaks in the mental health workforce pipeline.

Psychology Doctoral Program Admissions

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linh Nguyen Littleford ◽  
Kim Buxton ◽  
Meredith A. Bucher ◽  
Stephanie L. Simon-Dack ◽  
Kao Lee Yang
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Master's Level ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Admission Decisions ◽  
Doctoral Work ◽  
Student Mentor ◽  
Psychology Doctoral ◽  
Graduate Experiences

What do psychology doctorate programs require and prefer in their master’s level applicants? Do the programs value students’ graduate experiences during and postadmission? Doctoral programs’ ( n = 221) responses to an online survey showed that most required letters of recommendation, personal statements, Graduate Records Examination scores, and undergraduate grade point average. These credentials, interviewing skills, and student–mentor research match are crucial to admission decisions. However, clinical PhD, counseling PhD, clinical and counseling PsyD, practice subfields (e.g., school psychology), and research subfields (e.g., social psychology) evaluated differently 8 of the 26 credentials. Master’s-level applicants benefit more than bachelor’s-level applicants when beginning their doctoral work (e.g., having their master’s theses waived), but the advantages vary by subfields. Implications and recommendations for doctoral applicants are discussed.

Student perceptions of multicultural training and program climate in clinical psychology doctoral programs.

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-307
Author(s):  
Samantha J. Gregus ◽  
Kimberly T. Stevens ◽  
Nicholas P. Seivert ◽  
Raymond P. Tucker ◽  
Jennifer L. Callahan
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Multicultural Training ◽  
Psychology Doctoral

La Clinica In LaK’ech: Establishing a Practicum Site Integrating Practice, Advocacy, and Research With Latinx Clients

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 987-1012
Author(s):  
Edward A. Delgado-Romero ◽  
Grace-Ellen Mahoney ◽  
Nancy J. Muro-Rodriguez ◽  
Ruben Atilano ◽  
Elizabeth Cárdenas Bautista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Counseling Psychology ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Mental Health Clinic ◽  
Southeast United States ◽  
Psychology Doctoral

This article concerns the establishment and development of La Clinica In LaK’ech, a bilingual mental health clinic collectively founded and staffed by a counseling psychologist and doctoral students in a counseling psychology doctoral program in the Southeast United States. During over 5 years of existence, the clinic has blended bilingual counseling psychology services, advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research with the Latinx population. The authors describe the development of the clinic and resultant clinical, training, and ethical issues that confronted the clinic in terms of providing services to a marginalized community in a state where anti-immigrant rhetoric, detention, and deportations were escalating. Also discussed are implications for training in practice, advocacy, service, and research for counseling psychologists working with Latinx communities.

Cross‐gender mentorship in clinical psychology doctoral programs: an exploratory survey study

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry L. Harden ◽  
Richard A. Clark ◽  
W. Brad Johnson ◽  
Joshua Larson
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Exploratory Survey ◽  
Psychology Doctoral
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document