Name
Marriage and Family Therapists in Pediatric Specialty Care: Skills, Values, and Identity Development
Description

In this session, we will address the experiences of Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) working in pediatric specialty care settings, as integrated behavioral health (IBH) providers. In line with the conference theme of redefining access and integration, the MFT identity and role will be presented in the context of key findings from semi-structured interviews (N=8) using an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The aim of this study was to explore the unique experiences of trainees and early career professionals, particularly with regard to clinical identity, integrated collaboration, and competency-based skills. The rationale for exploring the team role of MFT trainees, and more specifically the growing presence of medical family therapists (MedFTs) in pediatric specialty care will be highlighted. Gaps in training and preparation for MFTs in these environments will be shared through the emergent themes and sub-themes. Findings will be discussed in the context of enhancing specialty care-focused training, integrated collaboration, and clinical identity formation with implications for future curriculum development and competency-based education for MFTs in IBH settings. Additionally, a proposed Pediatric Specialty Care Skills Assessment tool will be shared with MFT trainees in various settings.

Speakers
Sydney Crane PhD, LMFT-S, Assistant Clinical Director, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Nicole Piland PhD, LMFT, Professor of Practice, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Nicole Piland
Co-Authors
Abagail Satterfield, MS, Texas Tech University
Monica Osterbauer, MS, 3rd Year Doctoral Student, Texas Tech University
Content Level
Intermediate
Tags
Pediatrics, Team-based care, Training/Supervision
Session Type
Concurrent
SIG or Committee
Pediatrics (PEDs)
Objective 1
Conference attendees will learn about the categories, themes, and sub-themes identified in an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study of MFTs working in pediatric specialty care settings and explore their implications for clinical training including identity development, integration skills, and collaboration.
Objective 2
Attendees will gain insight into the study’s methodology, including the use of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), data collection through interviews and a focus group with MFT trainees, and the thematic analysis process used to develop key findings.
Objective 3
Attendees will engage in a discussion on how the results of this study can support the advancement of competencies for team-based, integrated care and enhance interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatric specialty care settings.
Content Reference 1

Martin, M. P., Harrell, S., Lutgen, C., Manson, L., Tshuma, L., & Wade, A. (2022). Essential Integrated Behavioral Health Care Skills for Primary Care Providers: A Delphi Study. Families, Systems & Health, 40(4), 441. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh000O745

Content Reference 2

McCabe, M. A., Leslie, L., Counts, N., & Tynan, W. D. (2020). Pediatric integrated primary care as the foundation for healthy development across the lifespan. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 8(3), 278–287. https://doi.org/10.1037/cpp0000364

Content Reference 3

Kearney, L., Wray, L., Grasso, J. ...& Pomerantz, A., (2020). Creation and Implementation for the National Inter-professional Integrated Primary Care Competency Training Program: Preliminary Findings and Lesson Learned. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 14(3), 219-227. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000263

Content Reference 4

Yonek, J., Lee, C. M., Harrison, A., Mangurian, C., & Tolou-Shams, M. (2020). Key Components of Effective Pediatric Integrated Mental Health Care Models: A Systematic Review. JAMA pediatrics, 174(5), 487–498. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0023

Content Reference 5

SAMHSA (n.d.). Integrating Behavioral Health Services Within Specialty Practices Serving Pediatric Populations. https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/integrating-services-serving-pediatric-pep25-06-001.pdf Additional References: Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa Greene, C. A., Ford, J. D., Ward-Zimmerman, B., Honigfeld, L., & Pidano, A. E. (2016). Strengthening the coordination of pediatric mental health and medical care: Piloting a collaborative model for freestanding practices. Child & Youth Care Forum, 45(5), 729–744. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-016-9354-1 Interprofessional Education Collaborative. (2023). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: Version 3. https://www.ipecollaborative.org/assets/core-competencies/IPEC_Core_Competencies_Version_3_2023.pdf Samsel, C., Ribeiro, M., Ibeziako, P., & DeMaso, D. R. (2017). Integrated Behavioral Health Care in Pediatric Subspecialty Clinics. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 26(4), 785–794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2017.06.004 Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2019). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method, and research (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications. Zubatsky, M., Harris, S. M., & Mendenhall, T. J. (2017). Clinical training and practice patterns of medical family therapists: A national survey. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(2), 264–275. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12203