A New Training Course for Mental Health Professionals in Cognitive Remediation Therapy: Is It Any Good?
by Dr Rumina Taylor, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and CIRCuiTS™ Clinical Specialist
We know that Cognitive Remediation (CR) can improve thinking skills and facilitate recovery in people with psychosis and works best when completed alongside an active therapist. However, CRT training for therapists is not routinely available, and therein lies the major problem for large-scale rollout.
Thankfully, technology offers solutions. Online courses can potentially improve access to training, offering interactive and beneficial content, many of which can be completed at a pace that suits the learner and their schedule. These courses can be offered in a range of different and repeatable ways.
A clinical research group led by Professor Dame Til Wykes at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, has embraced these advantages and has developed the first online CR therapist training program. A recent study (Taylor et al., 2023) evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and benefits of this training in a group of UK NHS mental health professionals new to CR.
The online training was developed with input from experienced and novice therapists to ensure the course covered key components that were valued and important in an accessible format. The pilot version had feedback from a different group of novice therapists and this was incorporated to produce the final version offered to NHS staff working clinically with those with psychosis.
The CR training includes multimedia features such as slideshows, articles, clinician videos demonstrating key therapeutic skills, and client vignettes sharing their experiences. Each module begins with a summary of the material previously covered and an overview of the current one before working through the content of detailed information rooted in research, theory, and therapeutic practice. Clinicians can try CR using CIRCuiTS™ to support using the therapy in their clinical work. At the end of the training, there is a knowledge quiz to assess learning and CR therapist competence.
The evaluation included more than 100 NHS clinicians, with more than 80% who completed the course passing the knowledge and competence test, suggesting that the training had facilitated their CR learning. Those who passed were faster and had fewer breaks, suggesting that training momentum and intensity are important. Most trainees said they would recommend the training.
This online program improves access to sought-after training and is feasible and beneficial. Any training requires manager support and the opportunity to be completed regularly, this was key to successful outcomes in our CR training programme.
To read the research paper for further details on the development and evaluation of the training, see here:
If you or your team are interested in joining the growing global community of CRT therapists and completing our online course, visit our Training page to find out more or Get in touch to book your place today.
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