Training of Graduate Students in General Psychotherapeutic Skills (TRIPS)
NCT ID: NCT05164497
Last Updated: 2021-12-20
Study Results
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Basic Information
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UNKNOWN
NA
198 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2021-09-01
2025-09-01
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Hypothesis: The first and main hypothesis is that the students' observer-rated Facilitative Interpersonal Skills (FIS) will improve significantly more after deliberate practice training compared to theoretical teaching. The second hypothesis is that students' self-reported Facilitative Interpersonal Skills (FIS-SR), self-efficacy, and empathy will increase significantly more after training compared to theoretical teaching. The third hypothesis is that students reporting higher baseline levels of self-affiliation, attachment security, external feedback propensity, and self-efficacy will have a larger increase in FIS after the training program. The fourth hypothesis is that the amount of deliberate practice will predict improvement in FIS at post-training, whereas the students' sociodemographic characteristics, previous experience with psychotherapy, and preferred psychotherapy approach will not be associated with improvement in FIS.
Methods: One hundred ninety-eight graduate students from the Universities of Copenhagen and Aalborg University will be randomized into two groups, a) deliberate practice training of non-specific skills using role-play and Theravue, or b) theoretical teaching. Group a will first receive the experimental condition (deliberate practice), followed by the control condition, while group b will receive the conditions in reverse order. Each condition consists of 15 hours of classroom participation and homework. The primary outcome is Facilitative Interpersonal Skills - Observer. Secondary outcomes include the Facilitative Interpersonal Skills-Self-Report, the Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Outcomes will be measured at baseline (week 0), after the first condition (week 5; before the crossover, reflecting true randomization), and after both conditions (week 10). Main outcome analyses will be performed at week 5.
To test deliberate practice as a predictor of FIS improvement, the amount of deliberate practice activity is measured on a self-report questionnaire developed for this study and tracked on Theravue as a) the total time spent on watching and responding to therapy videos and b) the average number of attempts to improve the response to each therapy video. The Structural Analysis of Social Behavior Intrex questionnaire (SASB; Benjamin, 2000), the Social Skills Inventory (SSI; Riggio, 1989), the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR; Brennan et al., 1998), and the Internal and External Feedback Propensity Scales (IEFPS; Herold et al., 1996) will be measured at week 0 and explored as possible between-condition moderators of the outcome. The Group Climate Questionnaire-Short Form (GCQ-S; MacKenzie, 1983) will be used to measure the collaboration in the student groups, where approximately five students work together throughout the study period, performing role-plays and giving peer feedback in the experimental condition, and discussing theory in the control condition. The observer-rated DP Coach Competency Scale (DPCCS; Rousmaniere, 2020) will be used to evaluate adherence and quality of the deliberate practice training. Stig Bernt Poulsen, University of Copenhagen, and Ole Karkov Østergård, Aalborg University, are co-principal investigators.
Discussion: The study can potentially transform the training of psychotherapy, not only for psychology students but also for psychologists in general. Furthermore, the results of the study can be transferred to the training of other clinical skills.
Ethics: Ethical approval has been obtained from the Institutional Ethical Review Board, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, and Aalborg University. Before signing up for the course, the students will be informed about the course and the research embedded herein. Informed consent will be obtained from students agreeing to participate in the study. Course participants can decline to participate in the study without negative consequences for their course participation.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
CROSSOVER
OTHER
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Deliberate practice training
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.
Deliberate practice training
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."
Theoretical teaching
The control condition will consist of theoretical teaching of non-specific psychotherapy skills.
Theoretical teaching
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.
Interventions
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Deliberate practice training
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."
Theoretical teaching
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.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* All participants hold a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
* Signed informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
ALL
No
Sponsors
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University of Copenhagen
OTHER
Aalborg University
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Ole Karkov Østergård
Assistant Professor, PhD
Principal Investigators
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Ole K. Østergård, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University.
Stig B. Poulsen, Professor
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Department of psychology, University of Copenhagen
Locations
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Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14
Aalborg, , Denmark
Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A
Copenhagen, , Denmark
Countries
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Central Contacts
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Facility Contacts
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Ole K. Østergård, PhD
Role: primary
Kristine K. Nilsson, PhD
Role: backup
Stig B. Poulsen, Professor
Role: primary
Jan Nielsen, PhD
Role: backup
References
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Anderson T, Patterson C. Facilitative Interpersonal Skill Task and Rating Method. Athens: Ohio University; 2013
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.
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.
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.
Benjamin LS. Intrex User's Manual. Salt Lake City: Univ. Utah; 2000.
Riggio RE. Manual for the social skills inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press; 1989
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.
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.
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.
Rousmaniere TG. DP Coach Competency Scale (DPCCS). 2020. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YySX8avhPaAYm8T4Opvf5QwPwWU0CwLd/view
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.
Other Identifiers
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201891619
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id