Program of Excellence in Scientifically Validated Treatments of Mood Disorders

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed research education program seeks to bridge the gap between science and practice of psychotherapy training through developing integrative curricula for training in core competencies required for scientifically-informed clinical practice: (a) measurement and assessment, (b) intervention, and (c) evaluation. Evidence-based, scientifically-informed training based on these three core competencies will provide trainees with the skills necessary to develop and administer effective psychosocial treatments, train others in these treatments, and evaluate the impact of treatments, thereby advancing the science and practice of psychotherapy. Based on findings that mood disorders are among the most common and debilitating psychiatric conditions in the United States, and that people with mood disorders are often under-treated, the specific objectives of this project are to develop, evaluate, and disseminate curriculum materials for three empirically supported treatments for mood disorders: cognitive therapy (CT) and behavioral activation (BA) for treating major depressive disorder, and family-focused therapy (FFT) for treating bipolar disorder. Through readings, slides and handouts, videotaped lectures and role-plays, and experiential exercises and supervision, the program seeks to more fully and seamlessly integrate training in scientific knowledge and clinical practice of psychotherapy. The materials will be targeted for the training of clinical psychology graduate students, although they should also be useful in training practitioners in other disciplines and other levels of experience. The impact of the education program will be evaluated in terms of research competence and clinical competence as assessed by standardized fidelity scales. A new website will be developed that will serve as a national clearinghouse for state-of-the-science training materials on CT, BA, and FFT, including the curriculum materials developed for this program. Because the research education program will emphasize training in the core competencies of assessment, intervention, and evaluation required for scientifically-informed psychotherapy, students who complete the program should not only have content expertise in administering a particular empirically supported treatment, but also be well equipped to meet the demands of accountability inherent in current clinical practice, and to train and supervise other clinicians, including clinicians who do not have training in empirically supported treatments. Furthermore, trainees should be well-prepared to advance the next generation of research on scientifically-validated treatments, thereby bridging the gap between the science and practice of psychosocial treatments for mood disorders. This project focuses on the development, evaluation, and dissemination of curricula for training clinical psychology graduate students in core competencies - assessment, intervention, and evaluation - required for scientifically-based clinical practice, with a focus on three empirically supported treatments for mood disorders (cognitive therapy, behavioral activation, family-focused therapy). Many graduate programs offer little or no training in empirically supported treatments, so the materials developed for the program will meet an important need in providing curriculum materials that more fully and seamlessly integrate science and practice in psychotherapy training. Evidence-based, scientifically-informed training based on these three competencies will provide trainees with skills necessary to develop and administer effective psychosocial treatments, train others in these treatments, and evaluate the impact of treatments, which should not only advance the science and practice of psychosocial treatments for mood disorders, but also have a positive effect on public health via improved mental health services.