Evaluating the Competence of Psychotherapists

Abstract

Pressure is increasing to develop methods for evaluating the competence of psychotherapists, not only in the field of education but also in clinical practice. The skills required of a psychotherapist have not yet been defined clearly, and are probably specific to kinds of patient and types of problem. However, there is a consensus that the capacity to establish a trusting relationship and to demonstrate concern, are essential. This relationship provides a “power-base” from which to influence the patient through a variety of elements which include “interpretation”, modeling, and identification. Psychoanalysts assert that the “working through” of the transference is essential, but this is disputed by others. The evidence regarding the value of experience as a psychotherapist is unclear. Again there are conflicting reports. It appears that reasonable competence in technique can be acquired (through modeling) within the first year of training. It may be that the reason why experience does not emerge more strikingly as a positive factor, is that in the published material the more experienced psychotherapists treated the more difficult patients, and therefore the outcome of their treatment suffered. This paper touches on recent approaches at McMaster University to evaluate the competence of trainees; one by setting instructional objectives in family therapy, the other by means of a process analysis of videotaped interviews, in which residents and their supervisors participated. A single simulated patient was interviewed at two points in time, to indicate change and development in the psychotherapeutic techniques of the trainees.