National Epidemiological Survey And Analysis On Counselors And Psychotherapists In China

Object:To study the demographic characteristics on Chinese counsellors and psychotherapists worked in different regions, cities and three work settings. To determine the common used and primary psychotherapeutic orientations adopted by Chinese practitioners and the factors associated with the choice of orientation.Method:1) A nation-wide survey of a multi-stage convenience sampling was conducted. The respondents were practitioners who currently providing consultations and psychotherapies in China. The sampling procedure was divided into three steps. First, according to the administrative divisions of China by government, the whole China mainland was divided into6regions, the sampling cities came from all the6regions. Second, within each region, the sampling cities were divided into3city-level such as A for the well-developed, B for the middle-developed and C for the underdeveloped based on their socioeconomic development. Third, the sampling disciplines included three groups, they were health-care system, educational system and other practitioners such as private sectors, enterprises, and prisons, etc. A quota sample of200practitioners was selected from each region. According to the possible number of the practitioners based on the city-level, level A covered60%sampling, level B covered30%and level C10%. Every discipline covered one third sampling both in each region and each city-level.2) We used a questionnaire "National Status Quo Survey on Counselors and Psychotherapists in China" to colect information with face-to-face interview. The main outcome measures were the demographic characteristics, the common used and primary psychotherapeutic orientations, and there were44items as total in the questionnaire.Results:1) Total1232respondents came from1325samples with an overall response rate was93.0%in this study.2)72.0%of respondents were female. The mean age was37.01y with half of respondents (50.9%) under the age of36. The mean years of practice were5.82and60.3persent had been in practice for five years or less.3) The majority of the participants predominantly hold a bachelor’s degree(53.0%),28.1%hold a master’s degree, and3.9%hold a doctor’s degree. The proportion holding master’s degree and doctor’s degree in city-levels A was significantly higher than that in city-level B and C. Half of the respondents graduated in psychology. When compared with the other two city-levels, those in city-level A graduated in psychology more, those in city-level B graduated in medicin more and city-level C in education more.4)47.2%of participants were full-time and76.8%were licensed.5) Training courses and self-study were the main methods of continuing education. Mean hours of training received by the respondents in the preceding year less than70hours. The practitioners from city-level A trained longest and those in city-level C trained least, those working in the other departments trained longest and in health-care settings trained least.64.1%practitioners were supervised in their clinical experiences. Those working in the other departments was significantly higher than that of supervised practitioners from health-care or educational systems.6) The top ten primary orientations were cognitive therapy, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral therapy, client-centered therapy, integrative therapy, general psychotherapy, sandplay therapy, family therapy, hypnotherapy.7) The most common used ten psychotherapies were cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model, family therapy, CBT, client-centered therapy, sandplay therapy, hypnotherapy, integrative therapy, and Morita’s therapy.8) Those in city-level A and B,>31years old, practiced≥7years, received continuing education≥65hours, full time, and accepted clinical supervision indicated use of the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic model significantly more. The respondents indicated use of the cognitive therapy significantly more were those in city-level C,<30years old, practiced≤3years, received continuing education≤64hours, and accepted no clinical supervision. Conclusion:1) Socioeconomic development is possitively associated with the development of psychological services, so the practitioners in well-developed cities are educated, trained and supervised more than their counterparts in middle and underdeveloped cities.2) Counsellors and psychotherapists working in the three main disciplines were different in their demographic characteristics. Those working in the other departments graduated in multiplex professions, some hold low education degree, and less in their occupational stability.3) Cognitive therapy, psychoanalysis, CBT, behavioral therapy are the orientations used, believed, and wanted to learn most by Chinese counselors and psychologists. Region, city-level, work discipline, age, years of practice, graduate profession, continuing education, full/part time, licensure, and supervision are significant effect on the choice of orientation.4) Chinese counsellors and psychologists were lack of understanding, learning and confidence on the Chinese native psychotherapy.