PREDOCTORAL INTERNSHIP TRAINING IN CANADA .1. INTERNSHIP SETTINGS ANDSUPERVISORY ISSUES

Despite recent developments in the training of professional psychologi sts in Canada, there is a lack of systematic study in this area. In th is paper we present the results of our 1992 survey of internship direc tors and clinical supervisors in Canadian predoctoral internship train ing programs belonging to the Canadian Council of Professional Psychol ogy Programs (CCPPP). Twenty-five internship directors and 58 clinical supervisors responded to the survey. On average, individual programs offered 2.28 funded positions, at a stipend of $20,269 per annum. Whil e the number of formal programs increased from 1992 to the present, th e stipend and size of programs have remained unchanged. Within the int ernship programs, a wide range of training opportunities were offered to interns, but limited opportunities existed for training in geriatri c psychology, and in custody, competence, and forensic assessments. Ov er the three years surveyed there was a high degree of stability in te rms of the number of applicants, number of interns interviewed, and ac ceptance rates. Very low remediation and failure rates were indicative of the success of the internship training programs, the interns, and the academic programs from which they came. The majority of the clinic al supervisors were well trained clinicians, but had received limited formal training in supervision. The supervisors were flexible in provi ding supervision in a wide range of training experiences, but with som e limitations. Individual sessions were the most frequently employed f orm of supervision. The majority of supervisors reported no problems i n supervision. For those who noted problems the most frequently report ed related to interns' personal concerns and stress, and inadequate pr e-internship training. The major incentive for providing supervision w as learning and enjoyment of teaching, and the major disadvantage was the time consuming nature of supervision. Both internship directors an d supervisors reported offering some supervised training in supervisio n, but this is an area that requires further development.