The Departmental Miniconvention: A Means of Fostering a Psychological Sense of Community.

In recent years there has been increased criticism of national and international conventions. To overcome these drawbacks the present article proposes the psychology department miniconvention, defined here as a professional gathering organized by an academic psychology department primarily for its students and faculty. Three supplemental purposes achievable by the miniconvention involve the additional participation of the lay community and psychologists in the field. These are (a) to enhance the sense of community among academic psychologists and students, psychologists employed in the community, and lay citizens; (b) to help educate the lay community in psychology's aims, methods, and findings, thereby improving the discipline's image; and (c) to prod academic psychologists to examine the real-world ramifications of their research and learn of the public's concerns regarding the behavioral sciences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Institutionalized Psychologists?

Of all the many types of professional positions which psychologists are called upon to fill, one of the most demanding is that of functioning in an institutional setting. The psychological programs at such institutions are, generally, not the most advanced. The psychologist is called upon to function in a setting where the real contributions he can make are very often unknown. There is often a tremendous factor of professional isolation present--the feeling (and fact) of being cut off from professional colleagues and out of the mainstream of psychological life. To further compound the picture, institutional salaries are generally quite low. The present author, noticing these problems in his own state, helped initiate an annual meeting for these psychologists to share ideas of roles, functioning, program development, etc. The individual psychologists who participate, the psychological programs at the institutions, and the quality of service all seem to gain from this group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Benefits and challenges of generating community participation.

This article conveys important and useful information that practitioners can apply in their day-to-day professional lives by including citizen-consumer-client participation in their work. Three collaborative action projects are described that yielded significant benefits both for local communities and broader policy. These interventions, which were on topics as diverse as tobacco use among youth, recidivism among substance abusers, and chronic fatigue syndrome, were greatly enhanced by the involvement of citizens. The case studies are presented in such a way that the reader has a sense of how, when, and in what ways the interventions were collaborative as well as what the outcomes have been vis-à-vis public policy. The article is intended to encourage professional psychologists to collaborate more fully with community groups in efforts to expand and improve behavioral health services and policies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing education in psychology: Outcomes, evaluations, and mandates.

How effective is continuing education (CE) for maintaining professional competencies, how should its effects be measured, and should it be mandated for licensure renewal? These and other questions were addressed in a review of the existing literature and a survey of 6,095 professional psychologists regarding their CE experiences, perceptions, and preferences. The substantial majority of respondents reported their CE experiences to be good to excellent. Overall, they reported learning a great deal that frequently translated into their practices and contributed to their more effective and ethical practice. Most also supported the idea of mandated CE, although they preferred the use of participant satisfaction ratings to knowledge or skills assessments as mechanisms for evaluating their learning. Significant differences were found between psychologists who were operating with CE mandates and those operating without mandates; mandated psychologists completed significantly more CE credits than nonmandated psychologists and were stronger supporters of CE mandates. Findings are discussed in relation to critical issues that confront the field of professional psychology and its continuing commitment to the development and documentation of professional competencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

American Psychological Association policy in context: The development and evaluation of guidelines for professional practice.

This article focuses on guidelines for professional practice and related policy development in this area by the American Psychological Association's (APA) Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) over the past decade. BPA's work in this area has been based on its belief that the intention of guidelines should be to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and to support a high level of professional practice by psychologists. APA policy related to practice guidelines, as articulated in the "Criteria for Practice Guideline Development and Evaluation" (APA, 2002) is based on the perspective that practice guidelines have a useful purpose for practitioners when they are developed in response to a recognized need in the field and that APA is the most appropriate and reputable organization to develop such recommendations for psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing education in psychology: Patterns of participation and aspects of selection.

Why do psychologists choose particular continuing education (CE) programs? Is the selection of CE programs a rational or a random process? Is it based on thoughtful deliberation regarding interests and workplace needs, or simple accessibility, cost, or convenience? Findings from a survey of 6,095 licensed psychologists across North America provided a glimpse into the most common topics that respondents completed for CE, as well as some of the elements driving their selection of particular CE programs. Programs on ethics, anxiety disorders, and assessment were among the most frequently completed CE programs. But the pattern of CE participation differed substantially across different workplace settings, suggesting that psychologists varied their CE selections to fit their professional needs and interests. Topical interest, cost, and convenience were identified as important considerations in the selection of CE programs. Findings are reviewed in relation to the evolving movement toward evidence-based CE and underscore the importance of better understanding the variables that underlie the selection of CE programs in the ongoing development of professional competencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychology as a profession: Foundations of practice.

Reviews the book, Psychology as a profession: Foundations of practice by W. B. Pryzwansky and R. N. Wendt (see record 1987-98014-000). Pryzwansky and Wendt provide a guidebook on professional issues addressed to both applied psychologists and those in training. The book begins with a general introduction to the topic of psychology as a profession, which is followed by a chapter on each of the following issues: credentialing in psychology, ethics and standards, legal impact in practice, professional development and accountability (including internships), and professional organizations. Many important professional issues are presented by the authors. It is clear that this book is directed to an audience of applied psychologists in general, but school psychologists will find a number of relevant areas not well covered. Psychology as a profession is a handy, small book to supplement a professional practices course. However, its size and purpose limit the depth with which specific topics can be elaborated, resulting in a number of gaps in coverage. In addition, given the vulnerability of several of the topics in this book to ongoing change, the reader needs to be reminded of the possibility that some information will become outdated. However, the book does provide a useful introduction to topics that seem to impact increasingly on the lives of professional psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work Setting and Burnout Among Professional Psychologists.

How does work setting relate to burnout among professional psychologists? Five hundred and seventy-one doctoral psychologists responded to a survey about professional activities, work environment, and burnout. Solo and group independent practitioners reported a greater sense of personal accomplishment than agency respondents. However, women experienced higher levels of emotional exhaustion in agency settings than in either solo or group independent practice, whereas men experienced higher exhaustion in group independent practice. Overall, greater emotional exhaustion was associated with less control over work activities, working more hours, spending more time on administrative tasks and paperwork, seeing more managed care clients and fewer direct pay clients, and having to deal with more negative client behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology in the Theological Schools.

Comments that there seems to be some general agreement among American psychologists that psychology can and should make a significant contribution to professional education. In 1952, the APA Education and Training Board asked some pertinent questions (American Psychologist, 1952, 7, 3-6) relative to psychology's relationship to the other professions. In a recent analysis of 80 theological school catalogues, it was found that over 400 courses were offered which were strongly psychological in nature. These courses ranged all the way from courses in the psychology of religion to clinical pastoral training in general and mental hospitals. Certainly for those psychologists who honestly believe that their discipline has an important contribution to make to all other professions, the contemporary interest in psychology manifested by theological schools is a real challenge and a significantly potential opportunity for American psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pikes Peak model for training in professional geropsychology.

The aging of the population will increase demand for psychological services for older adults, which challenges the profession of psychology to provide those services. In response to that challenge, professional geropsychology has been developing over the past few decades to meet current and prepare for anticipated future demand. The development of a range of training opportunities is important to enable psychologists to work effectively with older adults. This article describes the Pikes Peak model for training in professional geropsychology. The model is an aspirational, competencies-based approach to training professional geropsychologists that allows for entry points at multiple levels of professional development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychologist as an expert witness on the issue of insanity.

Psychologists have made assertions in the courtroom "that do not have the blessings of the entire professional psychological community, and these assertions have brought court opporpribum to them and perhaps to the psychologist in general." Testimony from a District Court of the District of Columbia is presented; it provides "psychologists who rely on projective tests with information on how such evaluations may be treated by an opposing and often hostile attorney, or how they may be interpreted in a court of law which permits cross examination of witnesses, including expert witnesses." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community psychology: Impressions of the Boston conference on the education of psychologists for community mental health.

Mental health "is shifting from the amelioration of illness to preventive intervention at the community level… community psychology is more than a by-product of clinical… it depends upon and interacts with all the basic areas of psychological knowledge. Particular emphasis [is] given to the contributions of social psychology, group dynamics, and child development." The Conference recommended that "some permanent organizational medium be established… to facilitate communication among psychologists with vital interest in community psychology." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing education in psychology: Patterns of participation and perceived outcomes among mandated and nonmandated psychologists.

How much continuing education (CE) do professional psychologists complete each year, and how do they perceive it as affecting their competencies and practices? In a national survey, 1,146 licensed psychologists reported on their patterns of CE participation and their perceived outcomes in relation to those experiences. Overall, psychologists reported highly favorable perceptions of their CE experiences and outcomes, both in relation to the amount that they learned and the translation of that learning into more effective practice. Significant differences were found between psychologists from CE-mandating and nonmandating states, however, in relation to the format of the CE they participated in (e.g., on-site, online) and, especially, in relation to their levels of CE participation. Overall, nonmandated psychologists reported completing one-third fewer CE credits per year and were less supportive of CE mandates, as well. These and other results are discussed in relation to the developing empirical literatures on CE and professional competencies in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Studying community psychology as a community of professionals: An empirical approach.

Based on the seminal work of T. S. Kuhn (1970, 1977), an ecological and developmental conceptual framework is formulated to guide empirical inquiry on the stature of community psychology. An overview of the framework is presented, specifying "stages" of disciplinary growth and parameters for defining those stages. Data from 2 empirical studies, operationalizing aspects of the framework through a questionnaire survey (of 53 members of American Psychological Association Division 27) and archival methodologies (478 journal articles produced by Division 27 members), are presented. Results show (a) a lack of consensus among community psychologists, (b) continuing ties of community psychologists to clinical psychology, and (c) structural deficits within the discipline that may impede professional development unless rectified. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender and work setting differences in career-sustaining behaviors and burnout among professional psychologists.

What factors relate to levels of burnout experienced by male and female psychologists? Five hundred ninety-five psychologists responded to a survey about professional activities, work demands and resources, career-sustaining behaviors, and burnout. Respondents in solo or group independent practice reported a greater sense of personal accomplishment, more sources of satisfaction, fewer sources of stress, and more control at work than respondents in agency settings. In addition, women in independent practice reported less emotional exhaustion than women in agency settings. In general, women tended to give higher ratings to the importance of career-sustaining behaviors; however, 6 strategies emerged as highly important for all respondents: maintain sense of humor, maintain self-awareness/self-monitoring, maintain balance between personal and professional lives, maintain professional identity/values, engage in hobbies, and spend time with spouse, partner, or family. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

La pratique de la psychologie communautaire.

The aim of this article is to highlight the value of community psychology practice. There is a growing consensus in the field that community psychologists should focus more attention on describing and communicating the nature and contributions of their practice. To further this goal, we identify five typical change strategies (applied research, consultation, training, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder participation) that community psychology practitioners might apply in six different domains (program evaluation, program development, problem/setting analysis, organisational capacity building, policy development, community organising, and social action). We provide definitions for each domain as well as examples of typical interventions. Challenges in the field of community psychology practice are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Cube Model for Competency Development: Implications for Psychology Educators and Regulators.

This article provides a conceptual framework for training in professional psychology focused on the construct of competency. The authors present a 3-dimensional competency model delineating the domains of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that serve as the foundation required of all psychologists, the domains of functional competencies that broadly define what psychologists do, and the stages of professional development from doctoral education to lifelong learning through continuing education. The goal in presenting this model is to provide a conceptual frame of reference for those responsible for psychology education, credentialing, and regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional Development: Training for Professionalism as a Foundation for Competent Practice in Psychology.

Professional development (PD) is a broad, albeit vaguely defined, construct that underlies psychologists' education and training and is intrinsic to professional functioning, or professionalism, throughout psychologists' careers. This article resulted from the deliberations of a working group at the November 2002 Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology. The authors propose a definition of PD and consider professionalism to be its outcome. They then focus on 2 elements of professionalism--interpersonal functioning and thinking like a psychologist--and address related development and assessment implications for training and practice. Recommendations and implications for professional psychology organizations and for training and lifelong practices of psychologists emerged for further consideration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criteria for the evaluation of quality improvement programs and the use of quality improvement data.

This document provides a set of criteria to be used by psychologists in evaluating quality improvement programs (QIPs) that have been promulgated by health care organizations, government agencies, professional associations, or other entities. These criteria also address the privacy and confidentiality issues evoked by the intended use of patient data gathered by such QIPs. Although developed for psychologists, these criteria may be useful across health service areas and professions. Psychologists support continuous quality improvement and professional development to ensure that their patients receive the best possible care. Careful evaluation of quality improvement strategies helps ensure improved quality of care while avoiding unintended negative consequences to the patient and/or the therapeutic relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in training and practice of psychologists: Current challenges for licensing boards.

Psychology licensing laws have a short history and were created to regulate the professional interactions between a psychologist and a client within a single jurisdiction. Societal and technological changes in the way psychologists are trained and practice challenge licensing boards to provide new mechanisms to regulate professional behavior that recognize these changes yet still offer adequate protection of the public. This article describes the problems psychologists encounter related to professional mobility, temporary practice across jurisdictional boundaries, distance learning, and consistency in the handling and reporting of disciplinary actions. The article also describes the efforts of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards to help its licensing board members to address these challenges. Finally, the article raises some potentially dramatic changes being considered in the way psychologists are admitted to professional practice using a competency assessment approach to complement the traditional use of course credits, supervised experience hours, and performance on a knowledge-based exam. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)