Issues in Multidisciplinary Training of Cognitive-Behavioural Interventions

Behaviour therapists have always been optimists, and interdisciplinary involvement is a strong tradition in the behaviour therapy movement. While this increases the potential application of behavioural methods, it poses a substantial challenge for behaviour therapy trainers. This paper contends that if brief workshop training is used as the primary method of disseminating behaviour therapy skills across professions, it will provide an inadequate preparation, especially for higher levels of behavioural practice. In some circumstances, brief training may lead to an overestimation of behavioural skills by the trainees. The issues are discussed in the context of current moves toward multiskilling within health services. The paper contends that there is no substitute for ongoing training and consultation by senior clinical psychologists who are expert in behaviour therapy.