Systematic process and outcome evaluation of brief staff training in psychosocial interventions for severe mental illness

This study evaluated systematically the integrity and effectiveness of a to pical staff training programme. The integrity of the training was evaluated in terms of its adherence to the trainer's protocol, using an observationa l instrument. To assess effectiveness, multiple measures of learner satisfa ction, learning, generalisation and impact were administered longitudinally to N= 45 multi-disciplinary mental health professionals in the UK. The int egrity evaluation indicated that the training had been delivered appropriat ely. Significant effects of the training were obtained on the learning asse ssments (knowledge gain and skill enhancement) and on the generalisation me asure. No adverse effects were found, and learner satisfaction was very fav ourable. The findings indicate that a brief in-service training programme c an be delivered consistently and can foster good practice amongst mental he alth staff, leading to benefits for their clients. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd, All rights reserved.