OATdb Archive - Sam Houston State University

OATdb Archive

2013 - 2014

Psychology MA (Clinical Psychology)

Goal

Psychotherapy Skills

Students develop effective psychotherapy and assessment skills.

Objective

Psychotherapy Skills

Students demonstrate competency in effective psychotherapy skills.

Indicator

Psychotherapy Skills Rubric

MA Clinical faculty will assess student performance with respect to psychotherapy skills on the comprehensive exams.

Criterion

Psychotherapy Evaluation

On the Comprehensive Examination there is a "Psychotherapy Skills" portion. Criterion is that 100% of the students taking that section of the exam score at least a 75% which is "Acceptable."

Finding

Psychotherapy Skills

Thirteen students participated in the Psychotherapy portion of the program. The range of scores was 68 to 97 with a mean of 87.5. Of the thirteen students, one failed and has met with Dr. Stoebner-May to discuss a remedial plan for her.

Action

Psychotherapy Skills

Criterion was not met by one student of the cohort. Drs. Stoebner-May, Anastasi, and the chair will meet to discuss ways of identifying potential problems prior to their occurring and then will attempt to guide borderline students in ways that will be most beneficial to them. They will also discuss what would be the most appropriate ways to deal with these individuals in setting up remedial programs if they fail to meet criterion.

Goal

Assessment Skills

Students will be proficient in personality and educational assessment.

Objective

Assessment

Students demonstrate expertise to administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence for children and adults.

Indicator

Assessment Capstone Rubric

Students demonstrate competency to administer, score, and interpret Wechsler scales for children and adults.

Criterion

Assessment

100% of students will score at least 80% (acceptable) on the capstone exercise.

Finding

Assessment Skills

Thirteen student took the assessment portions of the capstone course. The ranged of scores was 38 to 100 with a means of 93.6. One student failed (12 passed) and has been placed on a remedial program, taking the course over again, to see if she can raise her performance to an acceptable level in the upcoming academic year.

Action

Assessment

Again, we had one student fail to meet criterion with respect to assessment in the capstone course. In looking at previous years, though, the students are showing dramatic overall increases in performance. In 2012, the mean performance without the student failing was 89.62, in 2013, 92.5, and in 2014 the mean without the student who had failes was 98.23. Thus, we are very proud of out students and with the work done by Dr. Stoebner-May.

Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement The faculty in the MA clinical program did stress the important of the DSM axes and it appears that this emphasis paid off with 12 of the 13 students performing to criterion on the Psychotherapy Skills portion of the capstone course.
Such was also the case for Assessment portion of the capstone. All in all, though, we are quite pleased with the increase in performance as our scores continue to increase. Again, it appears as though we need to make sure that we identify potential problems and catch them early.
With respect to 15 incoming students for the fall 2014 semester, the mean Graduate Record Exam is 1260 and the mean grade point average is 3.6, both increases from the last academic year.

Plan for continuous improvement With the success of this past year on the DSM axes, and the capstone course in general, faculty in those programs will continue as they did in the past year.

In addition, though, we will institute the following procedures:
1. A year-end evaluation of all students in the Clinical Psyhcology Program will be completed at the end of the first year. The evaluation will include ratings of professional characteristics and allow the faculty to comments on any particular strengths or weaknesses a particular student may have. Students with obvious weaknesses immediately will be put on a remediation plan.

2. Faculty in the MA in Clinical Psychology program will arranged for remediaton plans and alter degree plans when a candidate's performance indicated a need for additional and/or specialized training.

3. During the semester in which the student is involved in the capstone experience, a mid-semester evaluation will be performed for each individual in the course. Extensive feedback on deficiencies from assessors will occur at this time. If need be, the student will be informed of the deficiencies and, if necessary, be placed on a remedial plan, or given extra training, or will be advised as to his or her probability of success in the program.