School psychology: A specialty of professional psychology with distinct competencies and complexities.

School psychology at the doctoral level is recognized as a specialty of professional psychology by the American Psychological Association, with corresponding licensure as a psychologist granted by state boards of psychology. School psychology also is regulated by state boards of education; they set the credentialing standards for professional practice in public schools. The intent of this article is to enhance the understanding of this distinct and multiply influenced specialty. The need for psychological services in schools is highlighted, followed by a discussion of multiple influences and licensing/credentialing issues. Next, the specialty is delineated, its distinctiveness highlighted, and competencies for practice in the public schools elaborated. Finally, education/training models and mechanisms for program accreditation are described, as are the major professional organizations in school psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions: Carl N. Zimet.

Recognizing the diversity of roles and activities in which many professional psychologists are engaged, beginning in 1979, Professional Awards have been presented to individual members of the Association whose distinguished contributions have served to advance psychology as a profession in the areas of knowledge, public service, and professional practice. Carl N. Zimet was a recipient of the 1987 Distinguished Professional Contributions to Applied Psychology as a Professional Practice award. Zimet is cited for his devotion to high standards of education and training and professional practice in psychology. As a trustee on the American Board of Professional Psychology, he was charged to develop a plan which eventually became the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Through key leadership positions on APA governance bodies, and other professional organizations, he has dedicated himself to setting high standards and promoting the recognition of psychologists in the health care arena. In addition to the citation, a biography and selected bibliography of his works are included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical Psychology in Medical Education.

Greenfield's excellent appraisal (Amer. Psychologist, 1960, 15, 624-625) of the role of clinical psychology in medical education deserves commendation. Despite its brevity, it offers a great deal. In fact, it reads so well and makes such good sense, I was hopeful, as I neared the end, that Greenfield might have an answer to the question he raises implicitly: "What is the unique role of psychology in medical education?" To be sure, this question has plagued the now respectable number of psychologists in medical schools for some time. In my view, the clinical psychologist's "identity as psychologist" is related to his having a PhD which, in turn, is related to his unique contribution to a medical school. To me, the uniqueness is his research role. He may be a teacher, clinician, administrator, jack-of-all-trades. But, to his colleagues, though not always to himself, he is unique because he (supposedly) is prepared as an investigator in human behavior. To our medical school colleagues in the basic sciences (and also to others) the PhD degree represents scholarship, scientific background, and preparation for research. The question must remain: "What is psychology's unique role in medical education?" It happens that the greatest number of psychologists in medical schools are clinical psychologists. But, to look for the answer to the question in terms of the needs and interests of the clinician would be taking a far more narrow view of the problem than it deserves. I think Greenfield would agree. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions: Stanley Moldawsky.

Recognizing the diversity of roles and activities in which many professional psychologists are engaged, beginning in 1979, Professional Awards have been presented to individual members of the Association whose distinguished contributions have served to advance psychology as a profession in the areas of knowledge, public service, and professional practice. For "Distinguished Professional Contributions to Applied Psychology as a Professional Practice," Stanley Moldawsky is a 1988 recipient. Moldawsky is cited for being a long-time activist on behalf of professional psychology. For over 35 years, he has devoted his energy, creativity, and talents to the advancement of the profession, helping to enact licensure and freedom-of-choice laws. In addition, he has promoted the education of professional psychologists, and has worked untiringly for APA, always providing a role model of the professional psychologist who can integrate patient care with activism. In addition to the citation, a biography and selected bibliography of Moldawsky's works are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professionals and the Community: Some Considerations of Public Policy and Professional Parochiality.

This article focuses on occupational groups that have succeeded in attaining the status of professions, as this term has been used by sociologists. The privilege and power that increasingly are exercised by major professional groups raise important questions about how these influences affect the interests and welfare of the general public. The point being emphasized here is simply that the values, ideologies, and policies espoused by professional and other special interest groups cannot be equated with, nor can they be viewed as necessarily synonymous or even consistent with, the public interest. It was asserted that clinical psychologists while pointing to the arrogance of other professions have shown a "me-tooism" regarding the power and privilege enjoyed by colleagues in medicine and psychiatry. The author suggests that psychology learn from recent history related to issues of social accountability that have been raised in relation to other powerful professions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discussion 1.

Discusses the three articles by Meyers (see record 1989-17318-001), Phillips (see record 1989-17118-001), and Genshaft and Wiesniewski (see record 1989-17107-001) that comprise the symposium on the challenges and opportunities inherent in the future of social psychology, which centers on the linkages between psychological theories and research and school practice; the implications for the current state of knowledge and practice for professional education and training, especially the evaluation of professional preparation components; and finally, the ultimate effect that these new directions will have on credentialing and licensing standards, statues, and regulations. This is an important session for school psychology because we now enter a phase in our professional history where there are more than 10,000 practitioners identified with the field, more than 40 APA-accredited school psychology programs, a recently adopted set of policy statements for the joint accreditation of doctoral-level school psychology programs by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and standards for professional practice promulgated by these two organizations that share common elements and emphases. Moreover, national attention to the state of education at the elementary and secondary levels as well as precollege preparation, in combination with longstanding concerns for exceptional individuals, the handicapped, and the gifted, place psychology and school psychology in an advantageous position to contribute significantly to the education of all children as well as to the promotion of mental health and social role functioning of children, youths, and adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rehabilitation psychology practice, ethics, and a changing health care environment.

Rapid changes in the health care environment have brought about ethical and professional challenges for rehabilitation and rehabilitation psychology. The response of rehabilitation psychologists to the threats and opportunities of these challenges will have an impact on the welfare of persons with disabilities and the future of the profession. Managed care organizations have focused their efforts on the management of acute illness. Ethical concerns are being raised about patient access to care, self-determination, confidentiality, provider accountability, and marketing in managed care systems. Rehabilitation psychologists' skills in program development and outcome evaluation place them in a key position to influence the changes in the health care environment. To be effectual, however, fundamental changes must be made in research psychology practice, education and training, research focus, and professional activities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the expansion of professional psychology.

"My aim has been to discuss some of the effects which present-day training in clinical psychology may have upon the role and identity of professional psychologists; how the consequences of professional expansion and the interaction with other groups affect training programs in psychology; and how in turn the circumstances of the latter, by determining the range and quality of experiences, may affect the intellectual and professional orientation of clinical psychologists." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology in flux: The academic-professional bipolarity.

The "main fission in psychology is that between academic psychology and professional psychology." Clinical, industrial, and social psychology, among other applied fields, have expanded dramatically since World War II. Experimental psychology itself is now being professionalized. Serious problems stem from the fact that most graduate curricula are oriented to training "pure scientists" as scholars while most psychology graduates will "wind up in professional work outside universities and colleges." One solution is "to set up a school forthrightly embracing both academic and professional graduate training." There would be an "academic department" and a separate "professional department." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The purposes of psychology curricula in medical education.

Among the general objectives of psychological instruction in medical education are providing sound conceptual backgrounds in general psychology, growth and development, motivation and emotion. A second objective would be "a program of theoretical and practical training in such professional skills as interviewing, observing, gaining and maintaining rapport, interacting in transference relationships… ." The role of the psychologist on a medical school faculty and problems of psychological instruction in graduate medical education are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A brief appraisal of the role of clinical psychology in medical education.

"It may fairly be stated that Psychology is at last wearing long pants in the medical school setting… . Almost 90% of the medical schools in this country have psychologists on their professional staffs… . Some of our problems of status among our medical colleagues have yet to be resolved… . There are few interprofessional relationships which are more cordial and mutually profitable than those which exist in medical schools. It is rather a paradox that at the very foundation of medicine there can be profitable and harmonious relationships while so much bitterness and misunderstanding exists in other kinds of settings. But it is fortunate that a new generation of physicians is entering the practice of medicine after gaining a firsthand knowledge of what psychology has to offer." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A case for interdependence in psychology.

A vital and continuing issue for the American Psychological Association (APA) and for all professional associations concerns the relationships among its various constituencies. For psychology, these constituencies are exemplified in part by the four directorates: Education, Practice, Public Interest, and Science. Before considering how these domains of psychology can and should be interdependent, it is instructive to step back and examine similar challenges that face an organization with a much broader mandate. This article does that by focusing on the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), as it deals with issues that affect basic science, applied science, science education, and public policy. There may be some valuable lessons for psychology to learn from a quick overview of this institution. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In favor of separation of academic and professional training.

"Academic or basic psychology and applied or professional psychology… have different goals and are appropriately judged by different criteria. Much confusion and pointless heat has resulted from judging applied activities by academic criteria and academic activities by applied criteria. Such confusion has been potentiated by failure to separate professional training from academic programs, a separation that would result in more efficient and competent training of both the professional and the basic research person. Rather than impoverishing psychology, separation of professional from academic training so that each group could focus sufficiently and in terms of its own criteria of excellence on its own goals should result in more rapid progress of both areas and a more productive, less conflictual, amount of cross-fertilization." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rethinking Education in Psychology and Psychology in Education: The Inaugural Education Leadership Conference.

The inaugural Education Leadership Conference was convened by the American Psychological Association (APA) in October 2001 to provide a forum for groups and organizations across all levels of education and training to address issues of mutual concern, to promote a shared disciplinary identity among education and training leaders in psychology, and to influence public policy regarding education in psychology and psychology in education. Participants from 23 national education and training organizations, 25 APA divisions, and national credentialing organizations in psychology identified 8 major issues for education and training in psychology and addressed a number of specific questions relevant to ongoing work of the Board of Educational Affairs. A full report is available at http.http://www.apa.org/ed/elc/home.html. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interdisciplinary collaboration in outpatient practice.

Psychology has had a long history of collaboration with the medical profession. This collaboration has been greatly enhanced over the past decade or more as an increasing number of psychologists have become successful in applying the science and practice of psychology to the problems of health and illness. This article reviews and summarizes salient aspects of professional issues in practice that contribute to successful collaboration with physicians in primary and tertiary ambulatory health care settings. Practical strategies to enhance collaboration in independent practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Essential tension: Specialization with broad and general training in psychology.

The practice fields of psychology develop through specialization in training and education. The recognized specialties play a major role in developing new opportunities for professional psychology and providing quality services for the public. The essential tension comes from the balance of innovation and tradition and, in professional psychology, from the balance of fragmentation and unification. As an example, specialization in clinical child psychology is integrated within the broad and general traditions. The greater degree of focused science and practice in a specialty is the logical consequence of advances of the discipline and profession of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teaching history and systems from a clinical perspective.

There is a need to make the teaching of the history and systems of psychology course more relevant for students in professional training programs. Most typical courses and textbooks are oriented around the history of the science of psychology, giving scant and generally passing attention to the development of the profession of psychology. The author draws on his experience teaching a history and systems course in PsyD programs and provides a structure for enhancing the relevancy of such courses in professional training programs. Two frameworks are used. The author develops a conceptualization of 4 archetypes as defining of the range of roles, activities, contexts, and justification of professional psychologists: (a) the shaman/ priest, (b) the physician, (c) the teacher, and (d) the scientist. Stephen Pepper's (1942) world hypothesis theory, which characterizes the epistemic approaches underlying modern science and philosophy, is used to organize the development of the science of psychology. The integration of these 2 frameworks is discussed, and the curricular modifications that flow from it are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology's entrepreneurs and the marketing of industrial psychology.

Between 1880 and 1930, entrepreneurial individuals in academic psychology and engineering converged on a common interest in the human side of enterprise. Both disciplines subsequently overlapped in marketing their professional business services. Separating from academic psychology, applied psychologists alluded to being "human engineers" offering a personnel selection technology to industry. Conversely, scientific management diverged from engineering with psychological claims of fostering a "'mental revolution" of management-labor cooperation. Although psychology's testing technology was accepted, scientific management's psychological claims were challenged. This article details the entrepreneurial individuals (e.g., F. W. Taylor, H. L. Gantt, H. S. Person, H. Münsterberg, W. D. Scott, and W. V. Bingham), disciplinary marketing, and historical context surrounding these developments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Challenges to Professional Psychology Education in the 21st Century: Response to Peterson.

Professional psychology education faces many critical challenges brought about by the major changes occurring in the health care arena. This article shows that professional schools and programs have a good record of responding to these challenges and of taking proactive steps sponding to prepare their graduates for new health care roles and delivery systems. Data on admissions to psychology doctoral training programs demonstrate little support for the toral concerns raised by Donald R. Peterson (2003, this issue) about the preparation of students for graduate training in professional programs. Although quality concerns are important to investigate, such examination best resides with portant the American Psychological Association's Committee on Accreditation, which has the promotion of quality and excellence in professional psychology education and training as its major goal and responsibility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Navigating politics, policy, and procedure: A firsthand perspective of advocacy on behalf of the profession.

Psychology's expertise as a behavioral science is essential to effectively address society's most pressing concerns. Advocacy for clients and the public good--and in turn, for the profession of psychology--occurs on multiple levels through active participation in local and federal legislatures, agencies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations that influence implementation of regulations and policies. The authors offer a number of observations and recommendations from their cumulative past experience to argue that presence, persistence, and long-term vision are absolutely essential for the ultimate success and advancement of professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)