Challenging clinical situations in child and adolescent psychiatry: Therapists’ experiences of and attitudes towards deliberate practice and virtual reality

Objective: Explore experiences of and attitudes towards deliberate practice and virtual reality (VR) among therapists in child and adolescent psychiatry, and what clinical situations are perceived as particularly relevant for practice. Methods: 59 therapists completed an anonymous online survey. Results: Participants had limited experience with deliberate practice and VR, but were generally very positive to trying this framework to develop therapeutic skills. Situations where caregivers were angry were perceived as the most challenging, while situations where clients were quiet and passive were the most frequent. The perceived challenge of different situations varied widely among participants. Implications: The results are used to reflect upon development of therapeutic skills among licensed therapists in general, and within mental health care in particular. Keywords: therapist development, deliberate practice, VR, difficult clinical situations, child and adolescent mental health care