Experiences with and Attitudes toward Interprofessional Teams among Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychology Doctoral Students

Abstract Utilizing a sample of 214 clinical, counseling, and school psychology doctoral students recruited from APA-accredited programs, the present mixed-methods study examined whether and to what extent demographic variables and interprofessional experiences—both educational and practice oriented—were related to their self-reported attitudes toward interprofessional health care teams (IPTs) as well as their readiness for interprofessional learning. No significant differences in attitudes toward IPTs or readiness for interprofessional learning were found between doctoral students from clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that greater amounts of interprofessional experience were related to more positive attitudes toward IPTs, in addition to positive team behaviors and perceived competence in interprofessional practice. Qualitative analyses identified common themes of positive and negative experiences regarding experienced participants’ interprofessional experiences. The most common roles reported by students on IPTs are mental health therapeutic service provision (e.g., individual/group therapy), consultation to the IPT, and assessment. Challenging team dynamics, navigating hierarchical structures, and role uncertainty were the most frequently described challenges encountered by students working on IPTs. Students reported positive feelings about their contributions on IPTs, increased competency in interprofessional practice, and improvement in patient care as the most common benefits of IPTs. Findings demonstrate the importance of the provision of clinical interprofessional experiences in psychology doctoral training as well and the opportunity to discuss these experiences in co-occurring coursework within their training programs.