Attitudes towards psychotherapy with older people among trainee clinical psychologists

Abstract

Therapists have been described as reluctant to work with older people. A legacy of pessimism towards psychotherapy with this group has been traced back to Freud's assertions that older people are no longer educable. It remains unclear to what extent these views continue to influence today's therapists. This study explores the attitudes of trainee clinical psychologists towards psychotherapy with this age group. A cross-sectional postal survey design was used and the data were analyzed using content analysis. Three hundred and seventy-one trainees responded, representing 38% of the total population of trainees in the UK. The majority of the trainees thought that work with older people provided the opportunity to apply psychological knowledge and skills, although therapists needed to respond differently when working with an older person. Factors to take into account included cognitive decline and physical health problems. The trainees described a number of rewards and challenges associated with working with older people. The responses suggest that although a significant minority of trainees continue to hold some negative stereotypes about therapeutic work with older people, positive attitudes are also clearly evident. Further research to explore the attitudes of other healthcare professionals is recommended and the implications for training and supervision are examined.

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