Training in Dual Disorders in the Specialty of Clinical Psychology

Abstract

The training programme of the speciality of clinical psychology includes training in dual disorders (DD) as an objective. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of DD in the training and practice of psychologists specialising in clinical psychology. An online survey was conducted among 107 Spanish clinical psychologists specialised or in training. Results: less than 30% had worked in a specific DD resource, more than 26% had not received any training on DD, less than 20% had rotated through a specific DD resource in their hospital, only 11% had done or were going to do an external DD-specific rotation, the absence of clinical psychologists in DD resources ranged from 22 to 60% and more than 80% of the respondents wished for more training on DD. There was no difference in the desire for more training between women and men (: 0,88; p: 0,347) or between residents and clinical psychologists (: 1,156; p: 0,282) or by age (t: 0,27; p: 0,784). Conclusions: clinical psychologists and residents in training are interested in receiving more training on DD, so it is necessary to increase knowledge about existing specific DD resources, increase the presence of clinical psychologists in them and promote a specific DD rotation in these resources. This would result in better training, with the aim of providing better comprehensive and multidisciplinary care for people with DD.