The psychological adaptation of psychologists in clinical training : the role of cognition, coping and social support

Objectives: The current study sought to profile the psychological adaptation of psychologists in clinical training and examine the extent to which appraisal, coping and social support mediate and/or moderate psychological adaptation. Design: A mixed within-persons and between-persons design was used. Methods: A sample of 183 psychologists in clinical training (60.2 per cent response rate) from 15 British clinical psychology training courses participated at time one, 167 of whom participated at time two one year later (91.3 per cent of the time one sample). They completed measures of cognition, coping and social support. A multidimensional assessment of psychological adaptation included measures of perceived stress, anxiety and depression. Results: Trainee clinical psychologists reported high levels of stress, but as a group did not experience extensive problems of psychological adaptation in terms of anxiety, depression, selfesteem problems, marital problems, family problems, external stressors, interpersonal conflict, work adjustment or substance abuse. However, a significant subgroup reported self-esteem problems, work adjustment problems, depression and anxiety. Gender, age, year of training and training course were related to psychological adaptation. Appraisal processes, coping and social support predicted a significant amount of variation in psychological adaptation. Appraisals of threat, avoidance coping, emotional support from clinical supervisors, emotional support from courses and emotional support from a confidante at home all predicted the variance in psychological adaptation over time. Conclusions and implications: The findings were discussed in terms of a cognitive model of stress and adaptation. Implications for trainee clinical psychologists, training courses and the clinical psychology profession were considered.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

The Open University

Year dc:date.issued

1997

Author dc:creator

• Kuyken, Willem

Language dc:language

en