Clinical and Counseling Psychology Graduate Students’ Expectations for Future Work With Older Adults

Abstract

In a study that sampled clinical and counseling graduate students in four countries, we examined ways in which students who do not plan to specialize in work with older adults anticipate future work with this population. Participants (n = 431) completed an online survey of geropsychology training opportunities and the Pikes Peak Geropsychology Knowledge and Skill Assessment Tool. Counseling psychology students and those pursuing a PsyD or Master’s degree were more likely to anticipate future work with older adults than clinical psychology students and those pursuing a PhD, though clinical psychology students tended to have more training opportunities in geropsychology. Content analysis was used to examine open-ended responses about expectations for future work with older adults. Themes varied by country, degree, and specialty.

KEYWORDS:

• career planning
• geropsychology
• graduate students
• training

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by the 2010 Research Award from the Council of Professional Geropsychology Training Programs (CoPGTP).