Experiences of socioeconomic disadvantage in clinical psychology: A thematic analysis of aspiring and trainee clinical psychologists

Abstract

There is increasing recognition and action in the recent years to widen participation in the clinical psychology workforce. It continues to be important to promote diversity in the workforce so that it reflects the population it serves. However, much of the recent efforts have focused predominantly on diversity characteristics of ethnicity and race and much less so on other equally important diversity characteristics like socioeconomic status or class. This study explores the experiences of 275 trainee and aspiring clinical psychologists, self-identifying as from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, on the practical and perceptual barriers they have faced in their clinical psychology journey. Recommendations for Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) courses to support this underrepresented group in the field are provided.