The Challenges of Training in Psychology

2022 ◽  
pp. 97-112
Author(s):  
Rosa Nelly Nelly Cavazos Montemayor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Clinical Psychologist ◽  
Clinical Practices ◽  
The Face ◽  
Development Of Competencies ◽  
Online Format ◽  
Didactic Strategies

The training of the clinical psychologist requires the development of competencies in the fields of mental health prevention, health promotion, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. This training has undergone many changes due to the pandemic, evolution of education, and the translation of clinical practices to an online format. The present proposal focuses on making a review and reflection on the best practices derived from the adaptation of the training of these professionals with a future-oriented look. This chapter seeks to address two critical questions: What practices are necessary for the acquisition of the disciplinary competencies of clinical psychologists? and What didactic strategies were integrated during the COVID-19 pandemic? In the light of the lessons learned from the pandemic, the main tasks to be faced by the clinical psychologist in the face of the new demands of practice that require the creation of programs of psychological intervention and psychosocial support to the community are pointed out.

scholarly journals Improving mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings: reflections on research funded through R2HC

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wietse A. Tol ◽  
Alastair Ager ◽  
Cecile Bizouerne ◽  
Richard Bryant ◽  
Rabih El Chammay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Major knowledge gaps remain concerning the most effective ways to address mental health and psychosocial needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises. The Research for Health in Humanitarian Crisis (R2HC) program aims to strengthen humanitarian health practice and policy through research. As a significant portion of R2HC’s research has focused on mental health and psychosocial support interventions, the program has been interested in strengthening a community of practice in this field. Following a meeting between grantees, we set out to provide an overview of the R2HC portfolio, and draw lessons learned. In this paper, we discuss the mental health and psychosocial support-focused research projects funded by R2HC; review the implications of initial findings from this research portfolio; and highlight four remaining knowledge gaps in this field. Between 2014 and 2019, R2HC funded 18 academic-practitioner partnerships focused on mental health and psychosocial support, comprising 38% of the overall portfolio (18 of 48 projects) at a value of approximately 7.2 million GBP. All projects have focused on evaluating the impact of interventions. In line with consensus-based recommendations to consider a wide range of mental health and psychosocial needs in humanitarian settings, research projects have evaluated diverse interventions. Findings so far have both challenged and confirmed widely-held assumptions about the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial interventions in humanitarian settings. They point to the importance of building effective, sustained, and diverse partnerships between scholars, humanitarian practitioners, and funders, to ensure long-term program improvements and appropriate evidence-informed decision making. Further research needs to fill knowledge gaps regarding how to: scale-up interventions that have been found to be effective (e.g., questions related to integration across sectors, adaptation of interventions across different contexts, and optimal care systems); address neglected mental health conditions and populations (e.g., elderly, people with disabilities, sexual minorities, people with severe, pre-existing mental disorders); build on available local resources and supports (e.g., how to build on traditional, religious healing and community-wide social support practices); and ensure equity, quality, fidelity, and sustainability for interventions in real-world contexts (e.g., answering questions about how interventions from controlled studies can be transferred to more representative humanitarian contexts).

scholarly journals The mental health of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e704997687
Author(s):  
Cristina Maria Duarte Wigg ◽  
Isabella Maria Félix de Almeida Coutinho ◽  
Isabelle Cristine da Silva ◽  
Larissa Bezerra Lopes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
The Face

The study was a narrative review on the mental health of children and adolescents during a COVID-19 pandemic. A search was performed in the PubMed, BVS and Google Scholar databases, between April and June 2020. The studies revealed greater psychological distress due to social isolation, increased family conflicts and violence between parents and children. The closure of schools, lack of social interaction, feelings of uncertainty and fear in the face of a pandemic also contribute to the emergence of anxiety and stress symptoms in families. The resources of the Internet and social media can be tools of psychosocial support to families during quarantine, enabling therapeutic practices, information and contact between peers; minimizing symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Public policies are urgent and demand innovation and new technologies applied to families' mental health care.

scholarly journals Four principles of mental health research and psychosocial intervention for child soldiers: lessons learned in Nepal

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon A. Kohrt ◽  
Mark J. D. Jordans ◽  
Christopher A. Morley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Recent Decade ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Child Soldiers ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
The Government ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Guidelines And Recommendations

Child soldiers represent a challenging population for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), as we have little evidence regarding their needs or the efficacy of interventions. Despite an increasing breadth of MHPSS interventions for children affected by war, very few are supported by evidence (Jordans et al, 2009). In a recent decade-long conflict, Maoists and the government of Nepal conscripted thousands of children to serve as soldiers, sentries, spies, cooks and porters. After the war ended in 2006, we began a project incorporating research into the development of interventions for former child soldiers. Through this work, conducted with Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal, we identified four key principles to guide research and intervention with child soldiers (Fig. 1). We present these principles as location- and context-specific examples of the growing effort to develop guidelines and recommendations for research and intervention in acute post-conflict settings (Inter-Agency Standing Committee, 2007; Allden et al, 2009).

scholarly journals Mental health integration in primary health services after the earthquake in Nepal: a mixed-methods program evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Leichner ◽  
Aemal Akhtar ◽  
Caoimhe Nic a Bhaird ◽  
Rebecca Wener ◽  
Shiromi M. Perera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Functional Impairments ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations

Abstract Background In the aftermath of the devastating 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, three non-governmental organizations collaborated to develop a program responding to the immediate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) needs in three severely affected districts: Dhading, Gorkha, and Sindhuli. The program was implemented between April 2015 and February 2017 and aimed to (i) strengthen health worker capacity to provide integrated MHPSS services; and (ii) increase access to mental health services. This paper describes the program's implementation and the results of a pragmatic evaluation of the program's overall reach, effectiveness, and lessons learned. Methods The mixed-methods evaluation used routine program data, quantitative data from pre- and post-tests conducted with trainees and service users, and qualitative data from stakeholder interviews and focus group discussions. Results A total of 1041 health workers received MHPSS training and supervision. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in skills, knowledge, and self-rated perceived competency. Trainees went on to provide MHPSS services to 3422 people. The most commonly identified presenting problems were epilepsy (29%) and depression (26%). A total of 67% of service users reported being ‘completely satisfied’ with the services received and 83% of those experiencing severe functional impairments on enrollment demonstrated improvement after receiving services. Conclusions Despite operational challenges, the program successfully engaged both laypeople and health workers to provide MHPSS in the aftermath of the crisis. Lessons learned can inform the planning and implementation of future training and integration programs to provide large-scale MHPSS efforts in humanitarian settings.

scholarly journals Essential competencies in a clinical psychologist for a functional application of face-to-face and online psychotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 14-19
Author(s):  
Luis Vicente Rueda-León ◽  
Jorge Abdiel Linares-Maldonado ◽  
Carolina Quiroz-González ◽  
Arnoldo Sandoval-Arellano
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Clinical Competence ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Clinical Psychologist ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Psychotherapy ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Subject

A systematic review is presented which aimed to identify and compare the features of the clinical skills and abilities of the psychologists in clinical practice in person and online. The collected literature was found through some databases like: PubMed, Elservier, Redalyc, SCIelo, and Scholar Google, articles that were both in english and spanish were considered, mainly published between 2000 and 2020. In the selected browsers, the next set of words were selected: “competencias clínicas”, “habilidades clínicas”, “Psicoterapia”, “Telepsicología”, “psicología clínica”, “clínical skills”, “clinical competence”, “psychotherapy”,  “clinical psychology” and “telepsychology”, those which were found mainly on the title, the abstract and the objectives. The obtained results are a compilation of 7 articles found in Europe and America, which refer to the requirements to practice properly as a mental health professional, however, it was observed that coupled with the little information on the subject, the features that are repeated within the investigations are very general characteristics for the face-to-face setting, and almost nil for the perspective of a psychologist who seeks to perform psychotherapy online.

scholarly journals Intervención psicológica escalonada con trastornos mentales comunes en Atención Primaria.

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Julio César Martín ◽  
Ascensión Garriga ◽  
Carmen Egea ◽  
Gonzalo Diaz ◽  
María-Josefa Campillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clinical Psychologist ◽  
Primary Care Center ◽  
Treatment Indications

<p>A model of psychological intervention for common mental disorders in Primary Care is analized. Two clinical psychologists and four resident psychologists interviewed 566 users to treat mild to moderate anxiety / depression disorders, bereavement or nonorganic insomnia disorders. Standardized assessment leads to a stepped intervention: indication of no treatment, brief group or individual intervention in Primary Care Center (PCC) or referral to Mental Health.</p><p>Socio-demographic and clinical variables describe the sample and allow comparison betwen groups. Of the 566 interviewees, the mean age was 37 years, 70% were women, 50% with psychopharmacological treatment and 10% on sick leave. The steps of intervention were: 19% were intervention indication of no treatment, 71% PCC intervention and 10% were referred to Mental Health. Adaptive, emotional and generalized anxiety disorders were predominant, with significant differences between centers depending on the location and clinical psychologist integration mode in PCC.</p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Integrating the clinical psychologist in PCC improve access to psychological interventions and reduces mild to moderate mental disorders medication. Assessment prevents unnecessary treatment onset and increases the likelihood of appropriate treatment indications, which is cost-effective.</span></p>

scholarly journals A Commentary about Lessons Learned: Transitioning a Therapy Dog Program Online during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 914
Author(s):  
Colleen Dell ◽  
Linzi Williamson ◽  
Holly McKenzie ◽  
Ben Carey ◽  
Maria Cruz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Therapy Dogs ◽  
Therapy Dog ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Stress Therapy ◽  
Personnel Needs ◽  
Online Format

In 2015, the University of Saskatchewan PAWS Your Stress Therapy Dog program partnered with St. John Ambulance for therapy dog teams to visit our campus and offer attendees love, comfort and support. We recognized at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that students, staff and faculty may require mental health support, particularly with the challenges of isolation and loneliness. In response, our team transitioned from an in-person to a novel online format at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We designed online content for participants to (1) connect with therapy dogs and experience feelings of love, comfort and support as occurred in in-person programming, and (2) learn about pandemic-specific, evidence-informed mental health knowledge. Our unique approach highlighted what dogs can teach humans about health through their own care and daily activities. From April to June 2020, we developed a website, created 28 Facebook livestreams and 60 pre-recorded videos which featured therapy dogs and handlers, and cross-promoted on various social media platforms. Over three months, first a combined process-outcome evaluation helped us determine whether our activities contributed to the program’s goals. A subsequent needs assessment allowed us to elicit participant preferences for the program moving forward. This commentary reflects on these findings and our teams’ collective experiences to share our key lessons learned related to program personnel needs, therapy dog handler training and support requirements, and online programming prerequisites. This combined understanding is informing our current activities with the virtual program and should be of interest to other therapy dog programs transitioning online.

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