Facilitative interpersonal skills before and after training

The study: A pre/post study without a control group: 23 psychologists in the first year of an advanced psychotherapy program, assessed with the facilitative interpersonal skills performance task and self-report.

What they found: Observer-rated skills were significantly higher after training. Trainees rated themselves higher than observers did, both before and after, but their self-ratings rose in step with observed performance.

Why it matters for practice: Encouraging, though without a control group the gains can't be attributed to training alone. Self-assessment tracked change but overestimated level, a good argument for outside feedback.

Catalino, D., Sousa, D., Santos, J. M., Soares, A., et al. (2026). Pre-post differences in facilitative interpersonal skills and self-assessment following deliberate-practice training. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 82(10), 1553–1576. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.70182