Cognitive behavioural psychotherapy graduates in Ireland: a follow-up survey of graduates from an Irish university

Training in cognitive behavioural psychotherapy (CBT) is expensive both for the students and their funding bodies. It is important to know how graduates of CBT courses are putting their skills to use, and whether they are continuously updating those skills to achieve best practice. We also wanted to discover the similarities and differences between CBT trainees in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland (courses in the United Kingdom being analogous to those in Ireland in content and participants). An internet survey, derived from previous postal questionnaires, was used to enquire into the practice, experience, and continuing professional development of graduates from the CBT courses at Trinity College Dublin. Most MDT professions were represented in the graduates, preponderantly psychiatrists and mental health nurses, but also including social workers and occupational therapists. Most participants believed that the course had enhanced their careers, and almost half had changed job since graduating. Half said that CBT was now the main focus of their job, but others reported lack of resources, funding, time, and other duties impeded their ability to conduct CBT with clients. However, most participants engaged in continuous professional development regarding CBT, and received CBT clinical supervision. Discussion There was a difference in the proportion of the different professions undertaking this course compared with the United Kingdom and our response rate here was significantly lower. As in UK surveys, participants who may have been supported and funded to undertake the training may not afterwards be supported in implementing their skills in the workplace. The broader implications of this are discussed.