EXPERTISE, THERAPIST EFFECTS AND DELIBERATE PRACTICE: THE CYCLE OF EXCELLENCE

Abstract

Evidence-based (clinical) practice is the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture and preferences. Similarly, the therapist factor is beginning to show its decisive influence on the outcome of psychological treatments. This paper emphasizes the therapist factor in the context of the PIR training program of clinical psychology specialists within the Spanish National Health System. Expertise and therapist effects are reviewed, and deliberate practice is presented as a training system that can help clinical psychologists to improve their outcomes and treatments. Specific recommendations are made to improve the supervision model during PIR training, and the implications and limitations of the topic are discussed.

Keywords

• Therapist effects
• Deliberate practice
• Psychotherapy
• Expertise
• Clinical Psychology