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Behavioural couple therapy: measuring therapist competence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2020

I. Rudolf von Rohr ,
S. Corrie ,
M.S. Fischer ,
D.H. Baucom ,
M. Worrell  and
H. Pote
I. Rudolf von Rohr*
Affiliation:
Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Clinical Psychology, EghamTW20 0EX, UK
S. Corrie
Affiliation:
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
M.S. Fischer
Affiliation:
Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Germany
D.H. Baucom
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, USA
M. Worrell
Affiliation:
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
H. Pote
Affiliation:
Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Clinical Psychology, EghamTW20 0EX, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: isabelle.vonrohr@gmail.com
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Abstract

This paper outlines a pilot validation study of the newly developed Behavioural Couple Therapy Scale for Depression (BCTS-D). The BCTS-D aims to assess therapist competence in delivering behavioural couple therapy (BCT) and provide therapists with summative and formative feedback on their performance. Completed by both therapist and supervisor, this will aid therapists’ reflection on practice and improve performance. This paper will report on two stages in the development of the BCTS-D: (a) a study evaluating content validity, face validity and usability and (b) a focus group examining usability and utility. Both parts of the study were conducted in the context of a BCT training course and included 20 participants who were either BCT supervisors or BCT trainees. Results suggest that the BCTS-D has good face validity, content validity and usability, and provides a useful tool for promoting self-reflection and providing formative feedback. The studies also provided insight into the strengths of the scale and into areas of refinement, and a number of modifications were undertaken to improve the BCTS-D in response to feedback collected. Future research will need to focus on evaluating the psychometric properties of the BCTS-D and continue to adapt the scale to its users’ needs.

Key learning aims

  1. (1) Readers will understand the importance of measuring therapists’ competence to improve practice.

  2. (2) Readers will understand the development of the BCTS-D scale and its initial psychometric properties.

  3. (3) Readers will know how to use the BCTS-D in everyday clinical practice.

  4. (4) Readers will know about the challenges of developing a therapist competence measure within a real-world clinical context.

Keywords

behavioural family interventiondepressionobjective assessmenttherapist competence
Type
Reviews of Assessment Tools and Delivery
Information
the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist , Volume 13 , 2020 , e29
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2020

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References

Further reading

Baucom, D. H., Fischer, M. S., Corrie, S., Worrell, M., & Boeding, S. E. (2020). Treating Relationship Distress and Psychopathology in Couples: A Cognitive-Behavioural Approach. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.Google Scholar
Baucom, D. H., Fischer, M. S., Worrell, M., Corrie, S., Belus, J. M., Molyva, E., & Boeding, S. E. (2018). Couple-based intervention for depression: an effectiveness study in the National Health Service in England. Family Process.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Muse, K., & McManus, F. (2013). A systematic review of methods for assessing competence in cognitive-behavioural therapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 484–499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.01.010.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

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