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Objective: Web-based cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) can improve interpretation biases and anxiety symptoms but faces high rates of dropout. This study tested the effectiveness of web-based CBM-I relative to an active psychoeducation condition and the addition of low-intensity telecoaching for a subset of CBM-I participants. Method: 1,234 anxious community adults (Mage = 35.09 years, 81.2% female, 72.1% white, 82.6% not Hispanic) were randomly assigned at Stage 1 of a sequential, multiple-assignment randomized trial to complete five weekly sessions of CBM-I or psychoeducation on our team's public research website. After the first session, for Stage 2, an algorithm attempted to classify CBM-I participants as higher (vs. lower) risk for dropping out; those classified as higher risk were then randomly assigned to complete four brief weekly telecoaching check-ins (vs. no coaching). Results: As hypothesized (https://doi.org/j2xr; Daniel, Eberle, & Teachman, 2020), CBM-I significantly outperformed psychoeducation at improving positive and negative interpretation biases (Recognition Ratings, Brief Body Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire) and anxiety symptoms (Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale, Anxiety Scale from Depression Anxiety Stress Scales–Short Form), with smaller treatment gains remaining significant at 2-month follow-up. Unexpectedly, CBM-I had significantly worse treatment dropout outcomes than psychoeducation, and adding coaching (vs. no coaching) did not significantly improve efficacy or dropout outcomes (notably, many participants chose not to interact with their coach). Conclusions: Web-based CBM-I appears effective, but supplemental coaching may not mitigate the challenge of dropout. What is the public health significance of this article?: Web-based interventions that provide practice thinking more positively about potentially threatening situations hold promise for shifting the rigidly negative interpretations that maintain anxiety, but many users of these programs do not complete a full course of treatment. The present study's results suggest that providing this training is more effective at improving interpretation biases and anxiety symptoms in anxious adults from the community compared to providing educational material about anxiety. Results also suggest that providing brief check-ins with a coach may not improve the training's effectiveness or the rates of treatment completion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the sensitive nature of COVID-19 beliefs, evaluating them explicitly and implicitly may provide a fuller picture of how these beliefs vary based on identities and how they relate to mental health. Three novel brief implicit association tests (BIATs) were created and evaluated: two that measured COVID-19-as-dangerous (vs. safe) and one that measured COVID-19 precautions-as-necessary (vs. unnecessary). Implicit and explicit COVID-19 associations were examined based on individuals' demographic characteristics. Implicit associations were hypothesized to uniquely contribute to individuals' self-reports of mental health. Participants (N = 13,413 US residents; April-November 2020) were volunteers for a COVID-19 study. Participants completed one BIAT and self-report measures. This was a preregistered study with a planned internal replication. Results revealed older age was weakly associated with stronger implicit and explicit associations of COVID-as-dangerous and precautions-as-necessary. Black and Asian individuals reported greater necessity of taking precautions than White individuals (with small-to-medium effects); greater education was associated with greater explicit reports of COVID-19-as-dangerous and precautions-as-necessary with small effects. Replicated relationships between COVID-as-dangerous explicit associations and mental health had very small effects. Implicit associations did not predict mental health but there was evidence that stronger COVID-19-as-dangerous explicit associations are weakly associated with worse mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of scientific evidence base to guide the training of health service psychologists seeking a career involving research. We identified practical skill-based competencies thought to promote a research career trajectory, which we labeled career-enhancing research competencies (CERCs). We then asked clinical psychology doctoral students about their experiences with CERC-specific training. Students were asked to rate (a) exposure to, (b) satisfaction with, and (c) methods by which they received CERCs training. Students (n = 439) responded to each question across 18 CERCs. Students also reported on their level of research productivity (i.e., publications, presentations) and were given the opportunity to provide commentary or suggestions to improve CERC-specific training. Students indicated high levels of satisfaction and exposure to some competencies (e.g., ethical research conduct, technical writing skills, healthy interpersonal skills), but training in other CERCs was limited or nonexistent (e.g., grant-writing, preparing a research grant budget). Students reported that CERCs training occurred primarily through informal and experiential channels (e.g., involvement in research lab activities, advising/mentorship on thesis/dissertation). Importantly, we found significant associations between several CERCs and students' research productivity, providing preliminary support for the validity of CERCs. We discuss the potential implications of these findings for preparing trainees for careers involving research and other paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for child mental health services, including those provided by psychologists, counselors, and social workers, exceeds the supply. This trend is expected to continue or worsen unless there are substantial structural changes in how mental health services are provided. We propose a framework for paraprofessional youth mentors, defined as a subgroup of professionally supervised, non‐expert volunteer or paid mentors to whom aspects of professional helping tasks are delegated. Our proposal is aligned with historical and modern solutions to scaling mental health services, and this framework could simultaneously increase the number of youth receiving evidence‐based mental health services and reduce the burden on existing systems of care. The framework defines three plausible tasks for paraprofessional mentors: (1) reducing barriers to mental health service, (2) increasing engagement in services, and (3) providing direct services. The safety and effectiveness of these task‐shifting efforts will hinge on competency‐based training and evaluation, supervision by professionals, and documentation of services rendered, all of which the field of youth mentoring currently lacks. We describe several requisite scientific, institutional, and regulatory advances that will be necessary to realize this variant of youth mentoring for a subgroup of youth who are presenting for assistance with mental health problems. Highlights: We propose a framework for delegating some mental health service tasks to paraprofessional mentors.Appropriately scaled, paraprofessionals can reduce the burden of youth's mental health difficulties.With training, a subset of mentors could increase engagement in and deliver mental health services.Training, supervision, and documentation of services will be critical to scale.Paraprofessional youth mentorship requires research to establish efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore differences in the clinical psychology PhD program admissions experience (i.e., interviewing and decision‐making) by race/ethnicity and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) identity. Methods: Participants were 803 students (24% racial/ethnic minority; 19% LGBTQ) enrolled in US clinical psychology PhD programs. Two‐group comparisons tested for differences in admission experiences by race/ethnicity and LGBTQ identity. Results: Racial/ethnic minority and LGBTQ students considered a programmatic commitment to diversity as more important in application decisions compared to non‐Hispanic White and cisgender heterosexual students, respectively. LGBTQ students were more likely to be advised to not discuss personal information (e.g., sexual orientation) than cisgender heterosexual students. Racial/ethnic minority and LGBTQ students identified financial considerations and program outcomes as more important in their decision‐making compared with non‐Hispanic White and cisgender heterosexual students, respectively. Conclusion: Increasing funding and fostering authentic training environments should be prioritized in institutional conversations around recruiting racial/ethnic minority and LGBTQ trainees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]