Research project The effectiveness of psychotherapy provided by clinical psychology students at a university-based psychology clinic
The aim of the present register retrospective study is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of psychotherapy delivered by psychology students at the Psychological Clinic at Stockholm University.
A growing body of empirical research has examined whether psychotherapy provided by student therapists or less experienced clinicians is effective and comparable in quality to therapy delivered by more experienced, licensed practitioners. However, research also shows considerable variability in outcomes between individual student therapists, even at early stages of training.
Full project title: The effectiveness of psychotherapy provided by clinical psychology students at a university-based psychology clinic and factors influencing treatment outcomes
The demand for qualified mental health professionals has increased substantially, while long waiting times, limited availability of trained clinicians, and financial barriers remain significant obstacles to accessing psychological treatment across healthcare systems. University based psychology clinics are a prominent example of this approach and serve both educational and public health purposes by offering low threshold and cost effective psychological treatment while simultaneously training future practitioners. In addition, a growing body of empirical research has examined whether psychotherapy provided by student therapists or less experienced clinicians is effective and comparable in quality to therapy delivered by more experienced, licensed practitioners. Nevertheless, studies show considerable variability in outcomes between individual student therapists, even at early stages of training.
This regsiter study highlights the importance of therapist competence development, and individual differences among trainees. At the same time this area remains relatively young, and significant gaps persist due to variation in educational systems, training requirements, clinical populations, and supervisory models across countries.
The main aim of the present retrospective study is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of psychotherapy delivered by clinical psychology students at a university based psychological training clinic. Specifically, the study aims to:
- examine overall patient outcomes following student delivered psychotherapy;
- investigate treatment outcomes of CBT included Virtual reality-based CBT and PDT- oriented psychotherapies
- investigate individual, contextual, and clinical factors associated with treatment effectiveness;
- analyse the client satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of the treatments
- investigate outcome components when looking specifically at minoritized individuals: sexual and gender minorities, or others who may hold intersectional minority identities
- explore how student therapist characteristics, and patient symptom profiles relate to clinical outcomes;
- analyse free text clinical records to identify recurring semantic content, micro level interaction patterns, and common therapeutic factors associated with change.
The results will be used to:
- improv the psychology education that includes clinical psychology and psychotherapy and
- contribute to the international literature while also generating program specific knowledge to inform quality assurance, educational development, and ethical clinical practice.