Best practices study : the Psychology Clinic at UTEC

Abstract

This article presents the results of a research conducted on the best practices of the university´s psychological clinic, at the Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador (UTEC). The aim of the study was to design, from the experience, a model of the psychological clinic to serve as a training center; here the skills of students in the area of clinical psychology can be strengthened, and teachers find a way how to perform an efficient and effective teaching process, based on a theoretical and practical model.

It is expected to strengthen the practical training in the advocacy for mental health, to communicate the university´s community service work, to evaluate the psychological service offered to the community, to assess the professional training of the Psychology students, and to disseminate the model of mental care at the Psychological Clinic.

The theoretical model of the Psychological Clinic at UTEC has been transformed through best practices by those teachers who have given life to their educational work for the benefit of students. The model contains a psychoanalytical and pedagogical approach to a cognitive behavioral content. The model of care of the clinic integrates UTEC´s outreach to the community, the model of pedagogical training and the practice in the clinical area by therapists in training. The Psychological Clinic at UTEC started offering services in 1989.

This research is enriched by data obtained through questionnaires and interviews with teachers, students and patients in order to determine the levels of satisfaction towards the service they are given.

Entorno, august 2015, issue 59: 49-68