Training and certification in study instruments

The manuals converge on the idea that study personnel need formal preparation before handling protocol-specific assessments. Across the extracts, training is tied to competence in the trial’s own instruments and procedures, with emphasis on completing study-specific or site initiation training before participant-facing work begins. They also agree that standardisation matters, whether through certified psychiatric interviews, standardised rating scale administration, or consistent use of approved procedures and materials. They also overlap in treating multiple assessment types as part of the competency requirement, not just one narrow skill. The extracts mention psychiatric instruments, rating scales, cognitive tasks, diaries, ECGs, and other study procedures, and they all frame these as requiring familiarity and practice before independent use. One shared theme is that assessments are linked to the study schedule and must be carried out in the specified way, including the correct order where relevant. The manuals differ in emphasis and scope. The depression trial foregrounds certification for MINI and the use of approved local-language validated versions, plus staying current with pharmacy and study procedure manuals and online training materials. The ketamine versus ECT trial focuses more narrowly on cognitive battery administration and interpretation across timepoints, while the LSD trial is broader, covering psychiatric interviews, cognitive tests, ECGs, diaries, and the distinction between self-administered and clinician-administered measures.