National survey of therapeutic orientation and associated factors of counselors and psychotherapists in China

Liu,Xiaomin; Cao,Yuping; Shi,Qijia; Jiang,Changqing; Liu,Jianxin; Wei,Hong; Ma,Xueyao; Wan,Jianqun; Lv,Shuyun; Hu,Li; Liu,Ying; Zhou,Chunying; Zhang,Jun; Zhang,Yalin

doi:10.3892/etm.2013.929

April 2013 Volume 5 Issue 4

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April 2013 Volume 5 Issue 4

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Article

National survey of therapeutic orientation and associated factors of counselors and psychotherapists in China

Authors:
- Xiaomin Liu
- Yuping Cao
- Qijia Shi
- Changqing Jiang
- Jianxin Liu
- Hong Wei
- Xueyao Ma
- Jianqun Wan
- Shuyun Lv
- Li Hu
- Ying Liu
- Chunying Zhou
- Jun Zhang
- Yalin Zhang
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China, Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China, Beijing Anding Hospital Affiliated to Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing, P.R. China, Mental Health and Life Education Center, Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China, Psychosomatic Department of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, P.R. China, Clinical Psychological Department of the Xinjiang Mental Health Center, Urumqi, Xinjiang, P.R. China, Psychiatric Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, P.R. China, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P.R. China, Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
Pages: 1075-1082
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Published online on: January 28, 2013

https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.929
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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the most commonly used and primary psychotherapeutic orientations adopted by Chinese practitioners and to examine the factors associated with the choice of orientation. A nationwide survey using multi‑stage convenience sampling without replacement was conducted. A total of 1,232 respondents out of the 1,325 participants selected completed the survey, which corresponds to an overall response rate of 93.0%. The respondents were practitioners who were providing consultations and psychotherapy in China at the time. The main outcome measures were the most commonly used and primary psychotherapeutic orientations. A Chi‑square test was used to examine the factors associated with therapeutic orientation. The most commonly used psychotherapies were cognitive therapy (59.2%), behavioral therapy (38.1%) and the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model (29.4%). The primary orientations were cognitive therapy (41.6%), the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model (15.7%) and cognitive‑behavioral therapy (10.3%). Gender had no effect on the orientation choice. Cognitive therapy was used significantly more by respondents who were ≤30 years old (50.5%), who had been in practice ≤3 years (45.9%), received continuing education ≤64 h (47.2%) and accepted no clinical supervision (53.1%). Those who were ≥31 years old (18.4%), had been in practice ≥7 years (21.0%), received continuing education ≥65 h (23.6%), worked full-time (20.2%) and accepted clinical supervision (20.6%) used the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model significantly more. The respondents who used cognitive‑behavioral therapy had graduated from the medical profession (14.1%) and were not licensed (15.8%). Cognitive therapy and the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model were the two most popular orientations adopted by Chinese counselors and psychotherapists. Age, years of practice, graduate profession, continuing education, working hours (full/part‑time), licensure and supervision are significant factors that affect the choice of orientation.

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Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

National survey of therapeutic orientation and associated factors of counselors and psychotherapists in China

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