Competencies in Professional Psychology.

There has been a burgeoning interest in competency-based education and credentialing in professional psychology. This movement gained momentum at the Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology. After defining professional competence, the author focuses on the identification and delineation of foundation, core, and specialty competencies within professional psychology. Attention is then paid to developmentally informed and innovative approaches to training in these competencies. Finally, consideration is given to state-of-the-art approaches to the assessment of these competencies for educational and credentialing purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional Psychology in Crisis.

Notes that professional psychologists should be aware of the immediate and long-range goals of the American Psychiatric Association. Their program includes (a) aggressively developing a uniform peer review program directed toward inclusion in national health insurance, (b) lobbying for federal funds in order to conduct research on the efficacy of psychiatry, and (c) consolidating services by concentrating on more traditional psychiatry based on the medical model--pharmacology, neurology, forensic psychiatry. Their representatives indicated that they were not interested in being "just another psychologist or social worker." To combat this attack, psychologists must be well trained in distinguishing the unique aspects of their profession and in conducting themselves with appropriate decorum. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School Psychology.

Comments on the article by J. Bardon and N. Walker (see record 1973-05301-001). While the data is interesting, the author's hope that a follow-up study will also show where the training given enables the doctoral graduates to assist in developing a criterion-referenced marking system, and to employ an educational versus a medical model for dealing with disturbed behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology Course in High School.

Engle and Bunch (Amer. Psychologist, 1956, 11, 188-193) indicate that the teaching of psychology at the high school level is increasing. Implicit in the Engle and Bunch statement is a certain measure of gratification with recent developments in this sphere. A sobering note appears, however, in a letter by Engle (Amer. Psychologist, 1956, 11, 206) in which the APA contacts of secondary school psychology teachers are cited. Engle concludes his letter by urging that some form of APA affiliation be established for high school teachers of psychology. This writer believes that the qualification of the teacher is secondary to the more basic question of whether the teaching of psychology at the secondary school level is in the best interests of the intellectual development of the college preparatory student. It is the contention of this writer that psychology can be fitted into the secondary school curriculum only at the sacrifice of more basic disciplines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

University Psychology Students Having Had Psychology in High School.

Does a high school course in psychology influence students to take further work in the subject? Is high school psychology of assistance to those who take psychology in a university? In an attempt to answer these questions, 13 university departments of psychology (Denver, Florida State, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Purdue, Southern California, Texas, Vermont) were contacted and asked to administer a very short questionnaire to students in their introductory courses who had had a course in psychology in high school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legal Issues in the Professional Practice of Psychology.

The professional practice of psychology has become more complex, giving rise to frequently asked questions of a legal nature. This article consists of list of the most commonly asked questions that the Practice Directorate of the American Psychological Association has received over the past 10 years. This article is meant for professional, health service clinicians who run into legal questions in the course of their everyday practice and not necessarily for those who routinely practice in such areas as forensic psychology. Because the article is intended for use by APA members throughout the country and Canada, many answers cannot be specific because individual state laws vary significantly. This article does not replace the advice of a licensed attorney. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology in a Suburban School System.

The author, a psychologist in a suburban school system, discusses his visit to a fourth-grade class to speak on "Psychology as a Science" as part of their science unit. He encloses a number of the questions put forth by the students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group treatment for child sexual abuse.

Describes a 12-wk group therapy program used with more than 50 preadolescent children (aged 7–12 yrs) who have experienced intrafamilial sexual abuse. A cotherapy model is used. 90-min group sessions consist of 4 parts: circle time, focused activities, diary time, and snack. Activities are designed to highlight (1) development of trust, cohesiveness, and safety; (2) identification and labeling of feelings; (3) discussion of family relationships and family changes; and (4) exploration of issues associated with the offender. Sessions also examine legal issues and concerns and focus on self-esteem enhancement, social skills development, sex education, prevention of future abuse, and termination issues. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incidence of sexual abuse

BACKGROUND: Much attention is paid lately at all levels to sexual child abuse. Its incidence in the population is, however, not known. The objective of the present investigation was to assess the incidence of sexual abuse in a defined group of young people. METHODS AND RESULTS: The authors examined, using an anonymously completed semistructured questionnaire, 311 5th year medical students from Charles University, mean age cca 23 years. They found that 66% of the women and 20% of the men some time during their life were subjected to involuntary sexual interaction. Only one third of the delicts, however, had occurred before the age of 12, the majority after the age of 15 years. The offender was most frequently an unknown man who exhibited before the victim or fingered her. Brutal of serious interactions (rape or attempted rape) were recorded only in 6%. The authors did not record a single case of incest. The majority of examined subjects experienced this event as unpleasant, however, usually did not tell it to anybody. Police organs were informed only in four cases. CONCLUSIONS: The presented negative experience can contribute to the development of some psychiatric disorders and psychosomatic diseases, although in the examined group a higher rate of psychic and sexual complaints was not recorded in probands with a negative sexual experience.     

Psychology training related to AIDS: Survey of doctoral graduate programs and predoctoral internship programs.

Surveyed all APA-approved graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology and predoctoral internship programs to assess the extent of student training in areas related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The survey found that 75% of graduate programs do not cover AIDS at any point in their curricula and that less than half train students in human sexuality. Other foundation topics pertinent to AIDS prevention and clinical service provision receive little attention in most graduate and internship programs. The authors discuss reasons why greatly increased prevalence of AIDS and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) conditions will require more substantial training and research among psychologists, and they outline some possible mechanisms to provide this training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Degrees of repression of sexual abuse memories.

Comments on E. F. Loftus's (see record 1993-37888-001) review of data on patients' recovery of repressed memories of sexual abuse (SA) in psychotherapy. In contrast to J. Briere and J. Conte's (see record 1993-33736-001) finding of self-reported amnesia for abuse in 59% of adults molested as children, only 30% of 105 adults in the present authors' study claimed to have blocked out any recollection of SA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A relationship between childhood sexual abuse and professional sexual misconduct.

This article identifies specific factors that place therapists at risk for engaging in sexual activity with clients and provides guidelines to minimize the likelihood of such behavior. In a national, randomly drawn sample of 323 mental health practitioners, 3 of 5 men who reported severe childhood sexual abuse and whose psychological symptoms met the criteria for a high degree of psychological distress reported sexual boundary violations with clients. High-risk clinicians should avoid the isolation of private practice, closely monitor their boundaries with clients, obtain ongoing professional supervision, and seek personal psychotherapy to address any remaining abuse-related issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The challenge of defining child sexual abuse.

Although child sexual abuse has been a concern for many researchers, therapists, and advocates for the past 3 decades, several fundamental issues regarding child sexual abuse remain unresolved. In particular, the term child sexual abuse has never been unequivocally defined. The lack of a commonly accepted definition of child sexual abuse continues to inhibit research, treatment, and advocacy efforts. Early researchers used broad and inclusive definitions of child sexual abuse—definitions that often continue to be used today. The consequences of these definitions are discussed, and strategies for developing other definitions of child sexual abuse are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential effects of women's child sexual abuse and subsequent sexual revictimization.

Examines the differential effects of sexual revictimization in a community sample of 248 African-American and White American women (aged 18–36 yrs). Two classifications of sexual revictimization over the life course were used to assess the effects of later sexual and psychological functioning. The findings suggest that unintended pregnancies and abortions were significantly associated with sexual revictimization. Women who reported more than one incident in both childhood and adulthood were also likely to have multiple partnerships and brief sexual relationships. The findings are discussed within the context of the dynamics of sexual revictimization and its effects. Suggestions are offered for therapeutic strategies with survivors in order to minimize the effects of sexual revictimization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate-level education and training in child sexual abuse.

The purpose of this article is to further graduate-level education and training in child sexual abuse. Two graduate-level courses that focus on child sexual abuse are considered as well. The following points are made: (a) Training in child sexual abuse should be incorporated into professional training programs; (b) research and theory courses on child sexual abuse are indicated; (c) the topic of child sexual abuse should be mainstreamed into existing practica; (d) the multidisciplinary nature of the field necessitates consideration of resources and references beyond those specific to psychology as well as professional engagement with individuals from many disciplines; and (e) training in child sexual abuse elicits strong emotional responses in trainees and others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases.

Family courts frequently rely on the expertise of mental health professionals to assess allegations of sexual abuse within the context of child custody evaluations. Such evaluations are complex and require knowledge of techniques used in sexual abuse and sexual offender evaluations, as well as knowledge of child custody practices. Preliminary findings from a national survey of 84 psychologists indicated that respondents tend to adhere to the child custody guidelines of the American Psychological Association. However, few practitioners followed formal models, protocols, or guidelines when evaluating alleged victims or alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse in conjunction with child custody disputes. Implications for professional practice are discussed, along with a proposed comprehensive model for assessing sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

National Conference on Postdoctoral Training in Professional Psychology.

The Ann Arbor Conference on postdoctoral training (held in October 1992) was the 1st national conference to focus on the articulation of standards for postdoctoral education and training in professional psychology. Experts in education, practice, and credentialing drafted a policy document addressing the purposes of postdoctural training; entrance requirements; program content, structure, and organization; supervision; faculty–staff; evaluation mechanisms; and recommendations for the promotion of excellence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Methodological issues in the study of sexual abuse effects.

Despite its relative infancy, child abuse research has provided a substantial literature on the psychological sequelae of sexual molestation. These findings have been helpful in informing social policy and guiding mental health practice. Because of the recency of interest in this area, however, as well as the costs and time investment associated with more rigorous longitudinal research, many of these studies have used correlational designs and retrospective reports of abuse. The implications of this methodology are outlined, and remedies are suggested where possible. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional transition: Psychology internships in rehabilitation settings.

The professional literature is limited in its coverage of the challenges of clinical and counseling internship training in rehabilitation settings. The characteristics of the patient population, the goals of rehabilitation, and the team approach require the development of professional role behaviors appropriate to these facilities. The present article explores relevant issues and presents suggestions for augmenting training programs to make them congruent with the distinctive aspects of rehabilitation. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Jurors' perceptions of hearsay in child sexual abuse cases.

The authors examined jurors' perceptions of child victims who testified in court and adult witnesses who repeated children's hearsay statements. Data were collected from criminal courts in 2 major U.S. cities (42 juries and 248 jurors). After deliberating in child sexual abuse trials, jurors completed a detailed questionnaire concerning their perceptions of the main child victim involved in the case and the adult who spoke with the child prior to trial about abuse and who testified about what the child disclosed (the adult-hearsay witness). In all trials, a child victim and adult-hearsay witness testified. Results are discussed in relation to trial outcome, child credibility, and adult-hearsay witness credibility. Implications for use of hearsay evidence in child abuse cases are also addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)