The Relationship Between Scientific and Theoretical Orientation Among Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students

This study examined the relationship between theoretical orientation and research attitudes and interests among 233 doctoral students in clinical psychology. Responses to a survey sent to 10 doctoral training programs indicated that behaviorally oriented students are more interested in conducting research and are more likely to endorse the basic tenets of science than those students expressing a preference for psychodynamic or humanistic orientations. Behavioral students were also younger and more likely to have majored in psychology as undergraduates, suggesting an earlier commitment to a career in psychology. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the role of training programs in encouraging clinical psychology graduate students to become better consumers of scientific literature.