title: Training issues in cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy.
abstract: Because of changes in the health-care system that tend to emphasize short-term treatment, the number of graduate students and psychotherapists interested in learning cognitive-behavioral techniques is increasing. The present study examines how pre-existing biases toward cognitive-behavioral therapy may affect acquisition of knowledge, attitude change, and use of cognitive-behavioral techniques over a nine-month practicum. Forty graduate students were classified by their theoretical orientation: cognitive-behavioral, not cognitive-behavioral, and undecided. Results indicated that all students gained significant amounts of knowledge, had greater positive attitudes about cognitive-behavioral therapy, and used more cognitive and behavioral techniques at the end of the practicum than at the beginning. These findings suggest that pre-existing theoretical orientations may not significantly affect learning of cognitive-behavioral techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-7123, USA.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Freiheit
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Overholser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000193:education; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*