Appendix

Trainee survey questionnaire

We are two graduates from an advanced family therapy training programme, and we are interested in the effects of the Personal and Professional Development Module on therapists.

In order for us to understand the relationship between the PPD module and clinical practice, we would like to ask you some questions to explore this further and thank you for participating in this project.

Your confidentiality is assured. Names and any identifying material will be changed.

1. Sex of trainee (M/F)

2. Age range:

   21-30 years

   31-40

   41-50

   51-60

3. Basic professional training, including any family therapy training prior to this most recent advanced training course.
4. Type and length of course undertaken/being undertaking.
5. What is your idea of the aim of a PPD module?
6. Does/did this module fit with your expectations? Please describe.
7. Please pick out examples of any experiences during the course that were significant to you and explain why.
8. Did they affect you personally? If so, in what way(s)?
9. Did they affect you professionally? If so, in what way(s)?
10. Do you think that you have changed as a therapist during the course? If so, in what ways (e.g. being more creative)?
11. Could you identify in what ways, if any, the PPD module has contributed to bringing about these changes?
12. Of all the different PPD module exercises /experiences, which have you found the most helpful/significant?
13. Please describe one or more such examples and explain why you found them to be significant.
14. One of the purposes of a PPD module is to increase self-reflection in the therapist. Has this been your experience? If yes, what made this more/less possible? What helped/hindered this process?
15. What impact has this had on your work (i.e. the ability to be self-reflexive)?
16. Do you think your experiences in the PPD module have made you more sensitive to the emotional experiences of being a client?
17. If so, how was this achieved?
18. If this was not your experience, please explain.
19. How do you think this module fits in with the rest of the course?
20. What effect did this module have on your relationship with the rest of the course? For example, did it help you to manage the other demands of the course?
21. Has it helped sustain you throughout the course?
22. If you were running this module, what would you keep the same and what would you change or add?
23. Did/do you have any other course connections with the leader(s) of the PPD module (e.g. as your tutor, supervisor)? If yes, what impact did/does this have?
24. Given that some trainees did/do have other connections with the group leaders(s), what impact did/does this have on your experiences in the PPD module?
25. What relationship do you consider the PPD leader(s) should have with the rest of the course? Would it have been more/less useful if the PPD leader had been external to the institution?
26. Would you agree that there is a link between your own experience in the PPD module and a family's experience of therapy? If yes/no, can you amplify?

For Institution B trainees only

• 27. How helpful has it been having two group leaders?
• 28. How important has it been to have had a male and a female group leader?

For all trainees

• 29. Were/are there any issues that you feel should be/have been addressed in the PPD module? 30. Did you make any fresh connections between your personal life and possible effects on your practice?
• 31. Can you name and identify specific skills that you acquired from the PPD module?
• 32. Overall, do you think that the PPD module is a worthwhile use of time?