Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Teams

Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams are used in psychology. There is a
fundamental difference between the two approaches to the provision of services to patients. In
interdisciplinary teams, members use an integrated approach where they collaboratively develop
a cohesive plan on how to provide services to patients as a unit. Members in interdisciplinary
teams work together and build on each other’s expertise to accomplish shared goals. They
engage in teamwork. The approach may be risky, especially when the team comprising of people
with domineering personality types as they may interfere with the process.
However, multidisciplinary teams work in a team and do not engage in teamwork. The
emphasis is not on relying on an integrated approach to delivering services. Instead, each team
member builds on their own expertise to develop and achieve care goals. The interaction
between a patient and a professional is on an individual level and does not involve input from
other professionals who are members of the team. A multidisciplinary team environment works
best for quiet professionals who do not have to share their opinions about a patient’s intervention
plan or treatment progress in a group of other professionals and can do so comfortably with the
patient individually.
Each of the approaches is advantageous to different people at different expertise levels. In
my case, I would prefer an interdisciplinary teams approach. First, this approach is patient-
centred, and I am guaranteed that my patients will get the best integrated care. They will also
have an opportunity to interact with various professionals who possess diverse sets of skills and
knowledge and thus benefit from that. Secondly, I am less experienced and need to work closely
with other professionals to enhance my skills and knowledge in the field. Thus, working with a
team of experienced professionals will allow me a learning opportunity that would be hard to get

by if I was to work in a multidisciplinary team. Besides, I am assured of support in conducting
some of the assessments that I am not yet comfortable conducting alone. I can learn more on how
to come up with intervention plans that are specific to meet the individual needs of a patient.
Also, interdisciplinary teams work with different stakeholders and agencies, and this will enrich
my experience as a professional (Owen et al., 2017). Thus, as an individual starting out in my
career in psychology, I would choose to work in interdisciplinary teams first.
Working in an interdisciplinary team requires that I work on my people skills and
communicate effectively. I will ensure that I monitor my progress towards goals. I will track my
personal progress towards accomplishing tasks, determine shortfalls, and deficiencies and ensure
that I record my performance and provide feedback to teams members. Engaging in monitoring
activities is important as it helps the team assess any discrepancies between the goals they have
set and the achievement of those goals. Monitoring of goals helps mediate the relationship
between performance and team efficacy (Driskell et al., 2018). Additionally, I will engage in
interpersonal processes such as conflict management. Maintaining positive interpersonal
relations helps resolve real or even perceived conflicts between team members. This helps
enhance efficiency as they work together to achieve some common or shared goals.

References

Driskell, J. E., Salas, E., & Driskess, T. (2018). Foundations of teamwork and
collaboration. American Psychologist, 73(4), 334–348.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.1037/amp0000241 
Owen, R., Bowers, A., Heller, T., Hsieh, K., & Gould, R. (2017). The impact of support services
teams: A community based behavioral health support interventions. Journal of Policy and
Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(3), 205–213. doi:10.1111/jppi.12186