Training of Graduate Students in General Psychotherapeutic Skills (TRIPS)

NCT05164497 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: 201891619
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 198
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

In this study, a deliberate practice-based approach to therapist training will be compared to theoretical teaching. The main hypothesis is that deliberate practice training will result in a larger improvement in students' observer-rated interpersonal skills. About 200 graduate students from two Danish universities will be randomized into two groups, a) deliberate practice training of non-specific psychotherapeutic skills using role-play and Theravue, an online skill-building system with therapy videos; or b) theoretical teaching. Each condition consists of 15 hours of classroom participation and homework. The study has the potential to transform the training of psychotherapy skills.

Conditions

Deliberate Practice Training of Psychotherapeutic Skills; Theoretical Teaching of Psychotherapeutic Skills

Keywords

Psychotherapy training; Deliberate practice; Psychology students

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Facilitative Interpersonal Skills - Observer (FIS; Anderson & Patterson, 2013)

  FIS measures relationship skills exhibited in psychotherapy. The therapists are asked to respond as helpfully as possible to video clips simulating challenging therapy situations. FIS has eight dimensions: (1) verbal fluency; (2) hope and positive expectations; (3) persuasiveness; (4) emotional expression; (5) warmth, acceptance, and understanding; (6) empathy; (7) alliance-bond capacity; and (8) alliance rupture-repair responsiveness. The items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 = skill deficit to 5 = optimal presence of skill.

  Three different sets, each consisting of three FIS videos, will be presented to each student three times in randomized order: at baseline (week 0), after the first condition (week 5), and after the second condition (week 10)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Facilitative Interpersonal Skills-Self-Report (FIS-SR, Anderson, et al., 2020)

  Immediately after replying to the FIS videos at week 0, week 5, and week 10

• Change in Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales (CASES; Lent et al., 2003)

  Week 0, week 5, and week 10

• Change in Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1983).

  Week 0, week 5, and week 10

Study Arms (2)

Deliberate practice training

EXPERIMENTAL

The experimental condition consists of deliberate practice training of non-specific psychotherapy skills using role-play and Theravue, an online skill-building system with therapy videos.

Other: Deliberate practice training

Theoretical teaching

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The control condition will consist of theoretical teaching of non-specific psychotherapy skills.

Other: Theoretical teaching

Interventions

Deliberate practice training OTHER

The experimental condition consists of five weeks of deliberate practice training of non-specific psychotherapy skills organized as (1) classroom training and (2) homework. The classroom training consists of 15 hours (5 days x 3 hours) of deliberate practice training. Each day will be organized around a theme: (a) Empathy, (b) establishing the therapeutic alliance, (c) working with alliance ruptures, (d) formulation of an interpersonal focus, and (e) clinical expertise - a synthesis. The training will include theoretical introductions, students defining individual training goals, model responses of good psychotherapeutic skills, and student role-play. Regarding homework, after each of the five classes, the students will use Theravue to watch and respond to three therapy videos related to the theme of the previous class. The students have to deliver at least two new responses to each video informed by feedback from teachers and peers and a checklist describing a "good response."

Deliberate practice training

Theoretical teaching OTHER

The control condition will consist of five weeks of theoretical teaching of non-specific psychotherapy skills performed as (1) classroom teaching and (2) homework. Regarding classroom teaching, the 15 hours (5 days x 3 hours) of teaching will be organized around the same five themes as the experimental condition (see points a-d above). The class will consist of the teacher's presentation of theory and research findings, videos with master therapists defining core concepts, and group discussions of literature. Regarding homework, the participants will read literature and use a restricted version of Theravue to complete home assignments where they record their answers to three theoretical questions related to the theme of the preceding classroom teaching.

Theoretical teaching

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Graduate psychology students attending a 30-hour elective course in clinical psychology called "Deliberate practice training of general psychotherapeutic skills" at two universities in Denmark (i.e., Department of Communication and Psychology at Aalborg University and the Department of Psychology at the University of Copenhagen).
• All participants hold a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
• Signed informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Course participants who are declining to participate in the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aalborg University: lead
• University of Copenhagen: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14

Aalborg, Denmark

RECRUITING

Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A

Copenhagen, Denmark

RECRUITING

Related Publications (11)

• Anderson T, Patterson C. Facilitative Interpersonal Skill Task and Rating Method. Athens: Ohio University; 2013

  BACKGROUND

• Anderson T, Perlman MR, McCarrick SM, McClintock AS. Modeling therapist responses with structured practice enhances facilitative interpersonal skills. J Clin Psychol. 2020 Apr;76(4):659-675. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22911. Epub 2019 Dec 18.

  PMID: 31851382 BACKGROUND

• Lent RW., Hill CE, Hoffman MA. Development and validation of the Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 2003;, 50(1): 97-108. doi: 10.1037//0022-0167.50.1.97.

  BACKGROUND

• Davis MH. Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1983; 44(1): 113-126. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.44.1.113.

  BACKGROUND

• Benjamin LS. Intrex User's Manual. Salt Lake City: Univ. Utah; 2000.

  BACKGROUND

• Riggio RE. Manual for the social skills inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press; 1989

  BACKGROUND

• Brennan KA, Clark CL, Shaver PR. Self-report measurement of adult attachment: An integrative overview. In: Simpson JA, Rholes WS, editors, Attachment theory and close relationships. New York: Guilford Press; 1998. p. 46-76.

  BACKGROUND

• Herold DM, Parsons CK, Rensvold RB. Individual differences in the generation and processing of performance feedback. Educational and Psychological Measurement. 1996; 56(1): 5-25. doi:10.1177/0013164496056001001.

  BACKGROUND

• MacKenzie KR. The clinical application of a Group Climate measure. In: Dies RR, MacKenzie KR, editors. Advances in group psychotherapy: Integrating research and practice. New York: International Universities Press; 1983. p. 159-170.

  BACKGROUND

• Rousmaniere TG. DP Coach Competency Scale (DPCCS). 2020. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YySX8avhPaAYm8T4Opvf5QwPwWU0CwLd/view

  BACKGROUND

• Ostergard OK, Nielsen J, Hjorthoj C, Nilsson KK, Poulsen SB. Effect of deliberate practice training of graduate students in general psychotherapeutic skills compared with theoretical teaching: protocol for the randomised controlled TRIPS trial. BMJ Open. 2022 Sep 29;12(9):e062506. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062506.

  PMID: 36175107 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Ole K. Østergård, PhD

  Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University.

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Stig B. Poulsen, Professor

  University of Copenhagen

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Ole K. Østergård, PhD

CONTACT

004520625654; karkov@hum.aau.dk

Stig B. Poulsen, Professor

CONTACT

004528593543; stig.poulsen@psy.ku.dk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The blinding of raters will be ensured for the primary performance-based outcome (i.e., Facilitative Interpersonal Skills) by assigning the video-recorded responses randomly to the raters and concealing the group allocation (experimental vs. control) and time of measurement (week 0, 5, or 10). Furthermore, analyses of outcomes and the conclusion regarding hypotheses 1 and 2 will be performed blinded to allocation (i.e., results in favor of condition X or Y).
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor, PhD

Model Details: Students will be individually randomized within each study site using a random number generator with a 1:1 allocation ratio, determining the order in which the experimental and control condition will be delivered. Half of the students will first receive the experimental condition, followed by the control condition, while the other half will receive the conditions in the reverse order. By the end of the course, all students will have received the same teaching and training, in reverse order. Main outcome analyses will be performed before the crossover (reflecting true randomization).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 10, 2021
• First Posted: December 20, 2021
• Study Start: September 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: December 15, 2023
• Study Completion: September 1, 2025
• Last Updated: December 20, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DK (2)