Theoretical orientations of New Zealand psychologists: An international comparison

Registered practicing psychologists in New Zealand (n = 221) were surveyed concerning their predominant theoretical orientation. Results were compared with findings obtained among Australian psychologists by Byrne and Reinhart (1990), British psychologists by Garrett and Davis (1995), and North American psychologists by Norcross, Karg, and Prochaska (1997a). The results showed that while New Zealand psychologists use cognitive approaches more often than both British and North American psychologists, they use behavioral and psychodynamic approaches less often. Overall, it was found that the eclectic approach is the most popular theoretical orientation obtained in surveys of Australian, New Zealand, and North American psychologists, in that no group subscribed exclusively to a single theoretical orientation.