3 - (SYM 138) Providing Instruction of Student Clinical Spiritual Competency Within a PCSAS Clinical Science Program

Clinical science psychology training programs emphasize the importance of evidence-based practices in treating mental health disorders. However, the spiritual needs of patients are generally overlooked or underemphasized in these programs. The integration of spiritual competency into clinical psychology student training programs is a relatively new trend, and there are few standardized guidelines or widely accepted frameworks for teaching spiritual competency, especially in the context of clinical science model training. Yet, teaching clinical spiritual competency to doctoral students can help them provide more holistic and patient-centered care, and there are several scenarios in which spiritually related intervention skills are scientifically beneficial or even necessary (e.g., religiously focused OCD, existential anxiety and depression, recovery from loss or trauma, etc.). Spiritual competency and fundamental knowledge and respect for pluralistic religious backgrounds are also necessary to foster an inclusive treatment environment. Although the science for including spiritual competency training in clinical science programs is clear, integrating spiritual competency into the curriculum can be challenging. It may require modifying existing courses or creating new ones, which can be time-consuming and resource intensive. Likewise, in a clinical science program philosophy, some students may be resistant to the idea of incorporating spirituality into their clinical work. They may view it as outside the scope of traditional psychology or as incompatible with their own beliefs. Instructors need to address these and other concerns and provide evidence-based rationales for the inclusion of spiritual competency in clinical psychology training. This presentation will discuss an instructor’s experience implementing a program developed to teach clinical spiritual competency (SCT-MH; Pearce & Currier) in a clinical science psychology program. Program implementation included virtual learning, didactic instruction, roleplay, and reflective practices. Instructor and student experiences and reactions to the curriculum as well as implications for incorporating clinical spiritual competency into clinical psychology programs will be discussed.