Distance Education and Professional Psychological Competencies

Abstract

The Open University and the Distance Education System of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) have been a fundamental alternative for expanding educational access. The undergraduate psychology program in this modality has seen continuous enrollment growth; however, it faces challenges such as low graduation rates and a lack of data on the development of professional competencies among its students and graduates. To contribute to the generation of evidence, this research assessed the clinical competencies of 26 eighth-semester students using the Psychological Professional Competency Assessment System (SECOPP). The system consists of 27 exercises distributed across three competencies (identification of relevant cases, diagnostic assessment, and intervention planning and evaluation) and three levels of complexity. Average correct answer percentages were found to be 40% in case identification, 43% in diagnostic assessment, and 40% in intervention planning. Participants performed better on the less complex exercises, particularly in case identification. Furthermore, the number of correct answers decreased with increasing complexity of the exercises. No statistically significant differences were found between competencies. The feasibility of the SECOPP system for identifying the extent to which student behavior meets clinical criteria is highlighted, as is the relevance of evaluating performance in other areas of psychological practice. This evidence will allow for a comparison of performance with curricular objectives and, potentially, guide necessary modifications to the teaching and learning conditions.