Die ontwikkeling en evaluering van 'n opleidingskursus vir privaat praktisyns in die sielkunde

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Date
2006-11
Authors
Odendaal, Dirk Cornelius
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The employment options available to South African psychologists are clearly spelled out in the guidelines given by the Professional Board for Psychology (HPCSA, 2006). According to these guidelines, psychologists may work for a variety of organisations or may opt for self-employment in private practice. PsySSA (2006) indicates that the Health Professions Council of South Africa has near to 6000 psychologists on its psychology register and that 4300 psychologists (excluding industrial psychologists, research psychologists and psychologists in community service) were employed in private practice during 2005. The psychology industry in South Africa is estimated at a value of R2,5 milliard per annum, approximately 65% (1,6 milliard) of which is generated in private practice. The training of psychologists at most South African universities is largely focused on equipping the psychologist in private practice with the skills to be a therapist, counsellor, consultant or researcher, and little or no attention is given to preparing the psychologist for managing a psychology practice; which comprises elements of self-employment and entrepreneurship. Moreover, training in the principles of practice management at South African universities is focused on the ethics of practice as opposed to practice management itself. The conclusion to be drawn from these statements is that the business component of psychology training in South Africa is currently neglected. The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a training programme for registered psychologists making an entry into private practice. This programme was developed and evaluated by employing a qualitative research methodology in three phases and was supplemented with the use of quantitative methods. During the first phase of the research, a background study and needs assessment were performed by means of conducting a comprehensive literature study on the nature and content of training models for psychology practice management in the South African context as well as internationally, and by means of qualitative interviews with 10 successful psychologists in private practice in the Free State. In addition to this, an analysis of training practices at South African universities was conducted. The literature study and qualitative interviews with practitioners and training institutions confirmed the research problem, i.e. that formal training in the management of a psychology practice is inadequate and that a pressing need for such training exists in South Africa. The final step in the first research phase comprised the compilation of a structured questionnaire, drawing upon the training agenda formulated from the literature study as well as the supplementary qualitative interviews. This questionnaire was designed with the aim of determining the current state, nature and content of the potential training needs for existing and prospective psychologists in South African private practice. Deriving from the inputs of the first phase, phase two of the research saw the development, presentation and evaluation of an experimental training programme for private practitioners by making use of an experiential model (Kolb, 1984). Phase three of the research process comprised the documentation and evaluation of the final training programme by four specialists. The contribution of this study is such that it attempts to meaningfully integrate the study terrains of psychology and the management sciences, not only to assist prospective psychologists to meet the challenges of private practice but also in the interests of the natural evolution of the profession and its optimal positioning in the South African health services sector. The competencies attained by successful private practitioners through experience and which enables them to establish their practices successfully, currently exists as an informal knowledge system between practitioners. This knowledge base should be theoretically grounded and presented to practitioners during the training preceding the establishment of a private practice. It is hoped that the alignment between the theoretical models and the wisdom of practitioners, acquired through the valuable lessons they have learned, has been captured in this study, and that it may in future be used as a suitable basis for training.
Afrikaans: Riglyne van die Beroepsraad vir Sielkunde spel die indiensnemingsopsies wat vir Suid-Afrikaanse sielkundiges beskikbaar is, duidelik uit (HPCSA, 2006). Hiervolgens kan sielkundiges in 'n verskeidenheid van organisasies werk, of het die keuse van self-indiensneming in privaat praktyk. PsySSA (2006) dui aan dat daar nagenoeg 6000 sielkundiges op die Sielkunde-register van die Raad op Gesondheidsdiensberoepe van Suid-Afrika verskyn en dat sowat 4300 sielkundiges (uitgesonder bedryfsielkundiges, navorsingsielkundiges en sielkundiges in gemeenskapsdiens), gedurende 2005 in privaat praktyk was. Skattings suggereer dat die Sielkunde-industrie in Suid-Afrika na raming minstens R2,5 miljard per jaar beloop, waarvan sowat 65% (R1,6 miljard) in privaat praktykomset gerealiseer word. Opleiding van sielkundiges aan die meeste Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite fokus grotendeels op die sielkundige in privaat praktyk se vaardighede as terapeut, voorligter, konsultant of navorser, maar skenk dikwels min of geen aandag aan die sielkundige se vaardighede as praktykbestuurder en ondernemer wat elemente soos self-indiensname en entrepreneurskap behels, nie. Die opleiding aan Suid- Afrikaanse universiteite in privaat praktykbestuursbeginsels is ook eerder gefokus op praktyketiek as op praktykbestuur. Dit volg uit voorgenoemde dat die besigheidskomponent van Sielkunde-opleiding in Suid-Afrika verwaarloos word. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om ‘n opleidingskursus vir geregistreerde sielkundiges wat die terrein van privaat praktyk wil betree, te ontwikkel en te evalueer. Die ontwikkeling en evaluering van die opleidingskursus is deur ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie wat in drie fases geskied het en met kwantitatiewe metodes verryk is, onderneem. In Fase Een is 'n agtergrondstudie en 'n behoeftepeiling gedoen deur ’n omvattende literatuurstudie uit te voer oor die aard en inhoud van opleidingsmodelle vir Sielkunde- privaat praktykbestuur in die Suid- Afrikaanse, sowel as die wêreldwye konteks en deur met 10 suksesvolle sielkundiges in privaat praktyk in die Vrystaat, kwalitatiewe onderhoude te voer. Addisioneel tot hierdie opname is opleidingspraktyke aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite ge-analiseer. Die literatuurstudie en kwalitatiewe onderhoude met praktisyns en die opleidinginstansies het die navorsingsprobleem, naamlik dat formele opleiding in die bestuur van ’n Sielkunde-praktyk ontoereikend is en dat daar ‘n dringende behoefte aan opleiding in hierdie verband is, bevestig. As ‘n finale stap in die eerste navorsingsfase is die opleidingsagenda wat uit die literatuurstudie geformuleer is, asook die kwalitatiewe onderhoude aanvullend daartoe, benut om ‘n gestruktureerde vraelys op te stel waarmee die huidige stand, sowel as die aard en inhoud van moontlike opleidingsbehoeftes vir huidige en voornemende Sielkundeprivaat praktisyns in Suid-Afrika, bepaal is. In Fase twee van die navorsing is 'n eksperimentele opleidingsprogram vir privaat praktisyns uit insette van die eerste navorsingsfase ontwikkel, aangebied en geevalueer deur van ‘n eksperiënsiële model (Kolb, 1984) gebruik te maak. Fase Drie van die navorsingsproses het die dokumentering en evaluering van die finale opleidingsprogram (deur vier kundiges) behels. Die bydrae van die studie is daarin geleë dat dit 'n poging is om die studieterreine van die Sielkunde en die Bestuurswetenskappe sinvol te probeer integreer, nie bloot met die doel om die uitdagings van die voornemende sielkundige in privaat praktyk te help hanteer nie, maar ook in belang van die natuurlike ontwikkeling van die professie en die optimale posisionering daarvan in die gesondheidsdiensmark in Suid-Afrika. Die kundigheid wat suksesvolle privaat praktisyns deur ervaring opdoen en wat hulle in staat stel om hul praktyke suksesvol op te rig, te bestuur en te beeïndig, bestaan as informele kennissisteem tussen praktisyns. Hierdie kennisbasis behoort bloot teoreties gefundeerd, tydens opleiding wat praktykoprigting voorafgaan as voorbereiding vir praktisyns, aangebied te word. Die passing tussen die teoretiese modelle van besigheidsoprigting en die wysheid van praktisyns wat lesse deur ervaring geleer het, word hopelik in hierdie studie vervat en kan in die toekoms as opleidingsbasis benut word.
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Keywords
Psychology -- Practice -- Management, Psychotherapy -- Practice, Psychologists -- Training of, Service undertaking, Independent practice, Training manual, Training programme, Private practitioner, Private practice, Programme-/product development, Self-employment, Prospective practitioner, Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2006
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