Web Based Therapist Training on Interpersonal Psychotherapy

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant Experts from scientific ethical and economic perspectives have stressed the need for evidence based mental health treatments i e andapos treatment based on the best available science or research evidence While several evidence based treatments have been developed there is a critical shortage of clinicians trained in these approaches NIMH has identified the dissemination and implementation of evidence based interventions as a top priority One of the best studied evidence based psychological treatments is interpersonal psychotherapy IPT Several decades of clinical trials have documented the efficacy of IPT across a diversity of mental health disorders and demonstrated the feasibility of teaching IPT to therapists from a range of backgrounds Unfortunately relatively few clinicians have been trained in IPT as a result few patients benefit from this treatment The long term objective of this project is to meaningfully increase the number of mental health professionals trained in IPT by developing a set of internet training tools which will facilitate widespread dissemination of this training In contrast to other evidence based therapies e g cognitive behavior therapy for which new training technologies have now been extensively studied limited efforts to disseminate IPT to date have relied on traditional approaches e g workshops which are not cost effective or easily accessible In phase we will develop a prototype IPT training program and test its feasibility and efficacy The training will comprise three components a An on line interactive multi media tutorial presenting the principles stages and techniques of IPT b Live applied clinical training using videoconferencing in order to hone and evaluate traineesandapos clinical skills in IPT and c An on line portal IPT Case Tracker to help therapists maintain adherence and facilitate integration of IPT into their ongoing clinical practice Twenty four clinicians from various mental health disciplines without prior IPT training will be recruited Trainees will be tested on their knowledge of IPT concepts before and after completing the tutorial Following completion of the tutorial trainees will conduct an IPT session with a standardized patient while being observed by the trainer in real time using videoconferencing in order to transfer knowledge into applied skills After completing training trainees will utilize the internet portal for four months to help incorporate IPT into their clinicl practice The interactive portal will prompt trainees with brief reminders before IPT sessions and will administer a post session checklist to help maintain and to monitor ongoing adherence to IPT Feasibility and user satisfaction for the tutorial live training and internet portal will be evaluated PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE The use of empirically based mental health treatments i e treatments with research supporting efficacy has been identified by NIMH as a priority yet there is a shortage of clinicians trained in these approaches This study develops an on line therapist training program for Interpersonal Psychotherapy IPT a well researched empirically based treatment in order to facilitate wider dissemination of this approach