Basic science training in psychopharmacology: How much is enough?

Training psychologists to administer psychotropic medication will require acquisition of a unique knowledge base and set of skills that are generally not components of graduate education in psychology. Nevertheless, the current level of basic science training in graduate education in psychology is substantial and should, with minor modification, allow adequate preparation for students to enter into specialized training to prescribe. The direct provision of psychopharmacology requires psychologists to demonstrate competencies in addition to those required in the general provision of psychological services. Such competencies are perhaps best taught at the postdoctoral level. The authors argue that all curricula training professional psychologists should be able to train psychologists capable of practicing as independent, full-fledged health care providers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opportunities for psychologists in health maintenance organizations: Implications for graduate education and training.

This article highlights current roles and functions for psychologists in health maintenance organizations in the areas of teaching, research, and clinical service. Implications for graduate education and training are detailed. The author focuses on strengths and weaknesses of current models with respect to program content, role models, and the socialization process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The university-wide department of psychology model.

A department of psychology can survive as a university-wide entity by (a) encouraging the teaching of psychology in as many different types of departments and colleges as possible, i.e., medicine, engineering, education, etc., (b) incorporating extradepartmental psychologists into the graduate program by giving them joint appointments; (c) teaching foundation courses effectively at the undergraduate level; and (d) administering the department as a college. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Practicing clinical psychologists’ provision of sexual health care services.

Practicing clinical psychologists are likely to work with sexual health concerns as part of their clinical practice because of high prevalence rates and sexual problems as symptoms of mental or physical health problems and their pharmacological treatment. However, the majority of clinicians do not receive didactic or supervised clinical training. This survey of 188 practicing clinical psychologists in one Canadian city confirmed that, despite lack of training, many clinicians discussed sexual health concerns with their clients and used a variety of sex therapy techniques. This survey also revealed, however, that 60% of clinicians did not ask, or very infrequently asked, clients about sexual health. In general, lack of training affected level of comfort, and both may result in inadequate application of sex therapy techniques and treatment. The results of this survey indicate an ethical imperative to included sexuality training in current graduate curricula to adequately prepare psychologists to assess, refer, and treat sexual health concerns. The inclusion of sexuality-related topics in existing clinical graduate courses, an increase in sexuality-specific courses focused on assessment and intervention in graduate curricula, and broader options for continuing education for practicing clinical psychologists are recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training for substance abuse treatment among psychologists in a rural state.

Is treating substance abuse generally a part of psychological practice? Do psychologists feel prepared to deliver substance abuse treatment? Licensed psychologists in Idaho were surveyed about their training and provision of substance abuse services. Of 144 respondents (66% return rate), nearly all (89%) had contact with substance abusers, yet most rated their graduate training as inadequate preparation for practice. Rural psychologists reported seeing the highest percentage of substance abusers. Many psychologists limited their treatment to self-help group referral. Continuing education offers the most immediate solution and might be related to certification efforts. Predoctoral training of generalist psychologists, especially in rural areas, is advocated with an emphasis on integrated behavioral health care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Susan Walton Gray (1913–1992): Obituary.

Reports the death of S. W. Gray, whose work on evaluating the developmental effects of educational intervention was credited as being the intellectual impetus for Project Head Start in schools. Gray also helped to start Peabody College's doctoral program in school psychology. She described a definitive role for school psychologists in psychoeducational assessment, classroom consultation, and educational research that provided an influential model for graduate education in school psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating the real and academic worlds: An experienced-based research training model.

Notes that a shift toward more applied settings of employment among research psychologists has focused attention on the need to develop training models to prepare psychologists for careers in applied/evaluative research. A research practicum course sequence is suggested as a training device for developing applied skills during graduate training. The research practica in a doctoral program in applied research and evaluation are described. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Up close and personal: An inside look at university training programs in school psychology.

In each issue, "Up Close and Personal: An Inside Look at University Training Programs in School Psychology" will highlight a different, nationally known graduate training program in school psychology. The purpose of this regularly appearing feature is to help professionals in the field as well as potential students gain insight into the particular education programs that currently prepare school psychologists. Our goal is to take a focused look at various programs through the eyes of the educators who have guided their direction. Hopefully, over time, we will draw a unique picture of the issues that underlie professional preparation in our field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists’ attitudes and ethical concerns regarding the use of social networking web sites.

Most psychologists seek to control self-disclosures they make to patients, but the Internet’s rapid development and widespread use over the past decade have introduced new problems for psychologists trying to avoid inappropriate disclosures. A total of 695 psychology graduate students and psychologists were surveyed about their current use of social networking Web sites (SNWs), opinions regarding regulation of online activities by the American Psychological Association (APA), and interactions in clinical work as a result of online activities. Established psychologists seldom use SNWs and may lack the experience to provide relevant supervisory guidance. No consensus about the need for APA guidelines emerged. Historically, APA has not issued guidelines in technological areas of rapid change. Thus, graduate training and continuing education should address the ethics of SNWs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Back to the future in the education and training of psychologists.

In this article, I discuss issues concerning the training and education of psychologists at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I propose a new introductory course on the applications of psychology to oneself and to society. This course would cover many applications of psychology and would also explain what the major psychological specialties do and the specific training needed to pursue a career in a chosen specialty. A common core of graduate courses is recommended for all graduate students regardless of specialty. A broad-based interdisciplinary course is recommended to ensure that all psychologists know the basic scientific principles that are ultimately essential to the understanding of psychology itself. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists’ sexual education and training in graduate school.

The current study explored the sex education and training that clinical and counselling psychologists receive during graduate school, practicum placements and internship. There were 162 psychologists who completed an Internet survey. Although nearly all participants had received some form of education related to sexuality during their graduate training, the depth and breadth of training was limited and was not related to how long clinicians had been practising. Modelling and feedback appeared to be underutilized as training methods. Participants reported more training related to sexual problems (e.g., sexual violence, sexual disorders) than healthy sexuality (e.g., contraception, STIs/STDs). Sexuality-specific training experiences but not participant characteristics (e.g., gender, religiosity) or cognitive-affective factors predicted the amount of sex therapy experience gained during graduate school. This suggests that training programs may be largely responsible for the (limited) amount of sex education and training received by students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Program for Psychologists in Dentistry.

Comments on the article by Richard I. Evans (see record 1966-07171-001) on psychologists working within the field of dentistry. The article by Evans failed to mention a program being sponsored by the American Association of Dental Schools that seeks to give advanced graduate students in educational psychology an opportunity to work on problems within the field of dental education, and the current author offers highlights of this new program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Passages: Career ladders for college counseling center psychologists.

Uses the stages of adult development set forth by G. Sheehy (1976) as a model for analyzing the careers of counseling psychologists. The careers of counseling center personnel are traced from graduate school days to the period Sheehy refers to as resignation or renewal, and the following conclusions are made: (a) The counseling center career ladder is short, forcing many psychologists in their early 30's into other job avenues; (b) the flexibility provided by counseling center positions is a 2-edged sword, producing disadvantages in later career stages; (c) reward systems should be developed to keep competent therapists in the counseling center; (d) administrative training should be provided during graduate school for future counseling psychologists; and (e) renewal alternatives need to be developed for burned-out counselors and counseling center directors in the midlife transition. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

North America's first graduate training program in the psychology of sensory deficits.

Describes a graduate program for the training of applied psychologists in the psychology of sensory deficits. The particular problems of adjustment of the sensory handicapped are discussed as well as the role of the applied psychologist in facilitating the adjustive process. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Substance abuse assessment and treatment: The current training and practice of APA Division 22 members.

Objective: To determine the preparedness of rehabilitation psychologists to work with people with disabilities with primary or secondary substance-related problems by examining their education, training, and current practice. Design: Mail survey. Participants: 76 (47 men, 29 women) Division 22 members of the American Psychological Association. Results: Although 79% of respondents reported treating individuals with alcohol and other drug issues, over half rated their training in substance abuse treatment as inadequate. Referring to self-help groups and instilling cognitive-behavioral coping skills were common treatments. Participants reported a lack of preparation in substance abuse training in their graduate program coursework, practicum, and internship. Conclusion: Continuing education and changes to curriculum requirements, with linkage to existing certification bodies, should be considered to close the gap between training and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training psychologists for hospital practice: A proposal.

Hospital practice has become increasingly important for psychologists over the past decade. However, expanded opportunities for practice require training for competency. The authors propose developing a comprehensive, systematic, and flexible program of training for hospital practice in psychology including graduate course work, supervised practicum experience, and opportunities for retraining. Recommendations for certification in hospital practice, credentialing and privileging, and continuing education are included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leon H. Levy (1925–2010).

Leon H. Levy died on August 24, 2010, in Richmond, Virginia, at the age of 84. Leon was an extraordinary scholar, teacher, and visionary. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Antioch College in l950 and a doctorate in psychology from Ohio State University in 1954. He was a faculty member at Indiana University, Bloomington, for 24 years, serving as the director of clinical training from 1969 to 1978. In 1978, Leon became chair of the Psychology Department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and served in that position until his 1996 retirement. He was the principal figure in creating and launching UMBC’s highly successful doctoral program in Human Services Psychology (HSP) and was graduate program director from its inception in 1984 until his retirement. His striking effectiveness in two concurrent leadership roles continues to amaze his successors. Leon was also an innovator in the professional preparation of psychologists. Leon was the recipient of numerous national Public Health Service grants and published more than 60 scholarly articles. Leon is survived by his wife Sandra M. Levy, a psychologist and priest associate at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia; his children Paul, Judy, and Claire Levy; and his step-sons Brian and Kevin Esterling. We join his family in mourning his passing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors Influencing the Recruitment of Psychologists.

In APA's Project B (Clark, 1957), a large segment of professional psychologists were asked to recall reasons why they chose to enter the field of psychology. In terms of outlining factors motivating persons to select psychology as a career, and a future recruitment program for psychology, Project B doubtless will have far reaching implications. The question may be posed, however, whether factors professional psychologists recall as having been instrumental in their selection of psychology as a career are the factors influencing psychology majors now in college to make the same choice. The present study was, in part, an investigation of the applicability of the results of Project B to a sample of 211 graduate and undergraduate psychology majors. The trend of the results indicated that the graduate subjects who plan a career in psychology closely resemble the APA respondents, in that both groups give similar factors as important determinants in their selection of a career. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)