RESPONDING TO GRADUATE-STUDENTS PROFESSIONAL DEFICIENCIES - A NATIONAL SURVEY

Seventy-one doctoral programs in professional psychology were surveyed with respect to the incidence of students' professional deficiencies and related procedures. Professional deficiencies, particularly limite d clinical skills and personality/emotional problems, were reported by 89% of the respondents, twice the number that have official policies for dealing with such problems. Incidence of limited clinical skills w as related positively to interviewing applicants and use of practicum grades for evaluation and related negatively to using recommendation l etters and reliance on clinical supervisor's assessment. Responses to deficiencies reflected appropriate due process concepts and were most likely to include terminating students and psychotherapy referral. Rec ommendations are made for definitions of professional competencies, de velopment of policies, and research on the reliability and validity of screening and evaluation mechanisms.