Abstract
Objective
This study examines the role of an introductory course in cognitive therapy and the relative importance of trainees’ characteristics in the selection process for an advanced course in cognitive therapy.
Method
The authors assessed the files of all trainees who completed one academic year introductory course in cognitive therapy over the last seven consecutive years (N = 203). The authors examined variables such as previous training, overall involvement during the course, performance, and ability to relate to others, as well as the trainer’s evaluations of their performance.
Results
Interaction skills in group situations and performance in written assignments were better predictors for admission into the advanced course.
Conclusions
Trainees’ abilities to learn and to successfully relate to others in group situations are critical for entering an advanced cognitive therapy training course. These findings question the policy of full-scale training in cognitive therapy based merely on the candidates’ professional background, stressing instead the merits of an introductory course as an appropriate screeningprocedure.
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Pehlivanidis, A., Papanikolaou, K., Politis, A. et al. The Screening Role of an Introductory Course in Cognitive Therapy Training. Acad Psychiatry 30, 196–199 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.30.3.196
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.30.3.196