Understanding the Duration and Challenges of Completing Long Case Psychotherapy in Core Psychiatry Training
Shehroz Shakeel, Laura Miller, Alina Vaida

TL;DR
Most psychiatry trainees take longer than 6 months to complete long case psychotherapy due to session cancellations and scheduling issues.
Contribution
This study quantifies the typical duration and identifies specific challenges in completing long case psychotherapy during core psychiatry training.
Findings
Only 25% of trainees completed long case psychotherapy within the expected 6-month timeframe.
Session cancellations and scheduling conflicts were major contributors to delays in completing the therapy.
Many trainees had to conduct sessions on their days off to maintain continuity.
Abstract
Aims: Trainees in core psychiatry training are expected to complete at least 20 sessions of long case psychotherapy within 6 months. However, many take significantly longer. This study explores the typical duration of long case psychotherapy and the challenges that contribute to delays. Methods: Data was collected from the psychotherapy tutor who supervised 16 trainees who had completed their long case. Additionally, a survey was conducted among 12 trainees to identify factors contributing to delays. Results: Among the 16 trainees, only 4 (25%) completed their long case within 6 months. 3 completed in 7–8 months, 3 in 9–10 months, 3 in 11–12 months and 3 took 13–15 months. Survey results showed that among 12 respondents, only 2 (16.6%) completed their long case within 6 months, 3 took 8 months, 2 took 9 months, 2 took 10 months, and then 3 required more than 14 months. Session…
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Taxonomy
TopicsPsychiatric care and mental health services · Healthcare Operations and Scheduling Optimization · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
