Objective: To determine the differences between psychotherapy training experience, current psychotherapy practice, and confidence in performing various types of psychotherapy among the child and adolescent psychiatrists who graduated from four training centers in Thailand.

Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A self-reported questionnaire was developed by the authors and sent via mail to all child and adolescent psychiatrists in Thailand. Chi-square test and ANOVA were used for categorical data and continuous data, respectively, to compare the variables between graduates from four training centers. Only data from respondents who graduated within the past 10 years were analyzed.

Results: Of 95 respondents (54.0% response rate), 60 respondents finished child and adolescent psychiatry training within the past 10 years. Their average age was 33.6±3.6 years. Forty-nine (81.7%) of the respondents were female. Duration of child and adolescent psychiatry practice was 3.6±2.4 years. Twenty-one (35.0%), 19 (31.7%), 18 (30.0%), and two (3.3%) respondents graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, and Yuwaprasart Waithayopathum Hospital, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the frequency of performing Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy [STST] and positive psychology by respondents who graduated from different training centers (p<0.001 and 0.02, respectively). Additionally, there were statistically significant differences in the levels of confidence in performing CBT, STST, Buddhist psychology, Mindfulness-based psychotherapy, and family therapy. Most respondents perceived that psychotherapy training received during residency was inadequate (86.7%), primarily due to inadequate training continuity (70.7%) and inconsistent supervision (65.5%).

Conclusion: Psychotherapy training during residency had an important role in influencing the types of psychotherapy practiced post-graduation. The training experiences also had a significant bearing on future confidence in performing psychotherapy.

Keywords: Psychotherapy training, Child and adolescent psychiatry, Residency training