Abstract

Using a mixed method approach, this study explored which educational factors predicted systemic confidence in master’s level marital and family therapy (MFT) students, and whether or not the impact of these factors was influenced by student beliefs and their perception of their supervisor’s beliefs about the value of systemic practice. One hundred and twenty graduate students in Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education-accredited (COAMFT) programs completed an online survey that assessed their training experiences, beliefs about systemic practice and perceptions of confidence. Quantitative findings revealed that students who reported greater research expectations in their program, obtained more frequent live supervision and had accumulated more months in training were more likely to have higher systemic confidence. Qualitative results highlighted numerous factors that students believed contributed to their acquisition of confidence, like course experiences and peer interaction. Their narratives also described critical beliefs about the role of systems theory in MFT, their conceptualization of systems theory and their theoretical approach to clinical work that afforded a deeper understanding of student development.

LLU Discipline

Marital and Family Therapy

Department

Marital and Family Therapy

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Barbara Couden Hernandez

Second Advisor

William M. Hooker

Third Advisor

Carmen Knudson-Martin

Fourth Advisor

Colwick Wilson

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2009

Date (Title Page)

12-2009

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Family Therapy -- education; Marital Therapy -- education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Competency-Based Education; Students, Medical; Self Efficacy; Confidence Intervals; Regression Analysis

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

xii; 184

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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