International experts' perspectives on a curriculum for psychologists working in primary health care: implication for Indonesia.
Enhancing primary health care to incorporate mental health services is a key strategy for closing the treatment gap for people with mental disorders. The integration of psychological care into primary health care is a critical step in addressing poor access to mental health specialists. As the psychology profession is increasingly called upon to prepare psychologists for primary health care settings, an international experts' consensus is valuable in guiding the development of a high-quality curriculum for psychologists working in the primary health care context. A Delphi method was used to gain a consensus on the most appropriate roles and training for psychologists. Initial constructs and themes were derived from a detailed literature review and sent to 114 international experts in primary mental health care from five continents. Overall, 52 experts who participated agreed that psychologists should have wide-ranging roles and skills including clinical, health promotion and advocacy skills. This study has identified the specific roles and training needed by psychologists to enable them to work more effectively in primary health care settings. The consensus will inform the development of a curriculum for psychologists working in primary health care in Indonesia, and is part of a broader suite of studies.
Global and Cultural Mental Health Unit, Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia ; Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada , Yogyakarta , Indonesia.
Diana
D
Setiyawati
Global and Cultural Mental Health Unit, Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
Erminia
E
Colucci
Nossal Institute for Global Health, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
Grant
G
Blashki
Global and Cultural Mental Health Unit, Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
Ruth
R
Wraith
Global and Cultural Mental Health Unit, Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
Harry
H
Minas
Delphi methods; primary mental health care; psychologist; role; skill