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“If It’s Worth My Time, I will Make the Time”: School-Based Providers’ Decision-Making About Participating in an Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Consultation Program

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Abstract

This study evaluated influences on school-based clinicians’ decision-making surrounding participation in a modular psychotherapy training and consultation program lasting one academic year. Clinicians were recruited from three participation groups: those who never engaged, those who engaged and then discontinued, and those who participated fully. Qualitative interviews explored influences on initial and continued participation, as well as differences in decision-making by participation group, knowledge about evidence-based practices, and attitudes toward evidence-based practices. Eight major themes were identified: time, practice utility, intervention/training content, training process, attitudes toward training, social influences, commitment to training, and expectations. Some themes were discussed universally across all comparison groups, while others varied in frequency or content. Recommendations for increasing participation are presented, based on the findings.

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Acknowledgments

This publication was made possible in part by funding from Grant numbers F32 MH086978 and K08 MH095939, awarded to the first author from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The authors would also like to thank the school-based mental health provider participants, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the King County Public Health Department for their support of this project.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98115, USA

    Aaron R. Lyon, Kristy Ludwig, Evalynn Romano, Skyler Leonard, Ann Vander Stoep & Elizabeth McCauley

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  1. Aaron R. Lyon
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  2. Kristy Ludwig
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  3. Evalynn Romano
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  4. Skyler Leonard
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  5. Ann Vander Stoep
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  6. Elizabeth McCauley
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Correspondence to Aaron R. Lyon.

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Lyon, A.R., Ludwig, K., Romano, E. et al. “If It’s Worth My Time, I will Make the Time”: School-Based Providers’ Decision-Making About Participating in an Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Consultation Program. Adm Policy Ment Health 40, 467–481 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0494-4

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