APA-approved sponsors of continuing education in psychology.

The Sponsor Approval System, approved in 1979 by the APA Council of Representatives, was developed in response to an increasing emphasis on more formalized continuing education programs for psychologists, with the accompanying need for methods of recognizing qualified providers. The system provides national standards for continuing education in psychology, a computerized APA Continuing Education (CE) Registry, and a calendar/clearinghouse. Sponsor applications are evaluated according to the established criteria and standards, which are available from the Continuing Education Program Office. The continuing education activities of approved sponsors are entered into the CE Registry, which provides a means for psychologists to maintain a centralized record of continuing education credits earned in activities offered by approved sponsors. The "CE Calendar" of approved sponsors' activities is published bimonthly in the APA Monitor. This article provides a list of continuing education activities which have been approved by the Subcommittee on CE Sponsor Approval. Programs that have not applied for approval, programs whose applications are in process, and programs approved since October 31, 1981, are not included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do couples at high risk of relationship problems attend premarriage education?

The effectiveness of premarriage education is limited by whether couples at high risk of future marital problems attend such education. In the current study, 374 newly married couples were assessed on a range of risk factors for future marital problems as well as whether they had attended marriage education. Couples with certain indices of relationship risk (nonreligious and premarital cohabitation) were underrepresented in premarriage education. Suggestions are offered to attract more couples, particularly those at high risk for future problems, to relationship education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Postdoctoral education-training for specialty practice: Long anticipated, finally realized.

Recommendations for broad and generic predoctoral education and training and postdoctoral specialization for practice have been made by psychology education and training conference groups since 1949. The number of postdoctoral education and training offerings has grown steadily over the succeeding decades. Selected data on postdoctoral education and training are presented in this article for a sample of 388 current postdoctoral education and training sites. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trainee-designed continuing education in community mental health.

Describes a continuing education program in mental health that has proved useful as a model for planners and trainers as well as consumers of continuing education services. Grass roots planning, peer education, and accountability are 3 basic characteristics inherent in program operation. Two types of training approaches, role oriented and topic oriented, are reviewed in terms of their applicability. Evaluation procedures for training programs are discussed and are illustrated by examples for the continuing education program. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legal rights of students with attention deficit disorder.

Discusses the enforcement activity of federal agencies and legal rights of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) to receive appropriate special education services. Federal agencies that enforce special education laws have found that children with ADD are eligible for special education services and are protected by the elaborate procedural safeguards established by law. Many school districts do not have procedures to identify children with ADD and to ensure appropriate services and procedural protections. A case example and a model policy are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Planning flexible learning to match the needs of consumers: a national survey

The injection of market forces into the National Health Service (NHS) has led to nurse education being viewed as a commodity which educational institutions supply and NHS employers purchase. Conscious of the costs of paying for courses within this new consumer culture, NHS trusts and other health service employers are increasingly looking for cost-effective flexible training to educate their workforce quickly and efficiently. Parallel to this is the accelerated demand for continuing professional development (CPD) brought about by the inception of the UKCC's Post-Registration Education and Practice Project (PREPP). Both registered and enrolled nurses are finding they need professional updating and skills and thus increased access to courses. The increased demand for education and training brought about by these changes cannot be met through traditional methods alone, requiring educational institutions to re-appraise their methods of delivery and introduce more flexible approaches to learning. There is every evidence that this is now the case with open learning, distance learning and flexible approaches to learning ever growing in popularity as providers of nurse education recognize the benefits such approaches offer. The emphasis is on meeting the diverse needs of the health care employers and individuals by providing education that is flexible, learner-centred and customer focused. This paper presents the findings of a national survey to ascertain how providers of flexible education plan educational programmes to meet the needs of their customers. Based on data collected from 120 educational institutions within the higher education, health and social care and private sectors, it highlights: the ways in which flexible learning programmes and courses are delivered; what aspects of flexibility are considered important when designing programmes to meet the needs of prospective customers; and what approaches are used to assess demand for flexible education. The study stresses the need for providers of flexible education to take into account the dual perspectives of those who have a stake in the flexibility of nurse education; NHS employers as funders of students and individual healthcare professionals themselves.     

A qualitative analysis of factors influencing the interpersonal dynamics of a prereferral team.

The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) encourages the use of problem-solving prereferral approaches and permits local education agencies to use 15% of federal funds for early intervention services for students who have not been identified as needing special education but who need additional academic and behavioral support to succeed in a general education environment. There is limited knowledge about the process prereferral teams use in a problem-solving approach and about desirable team practices. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the factors influencing the interpersonal dynamics of a prereferral process nominated as exemplary by district administrators. An awareness of the factors affecting the interpersonal interactions of prereferral teams may guide states in developing the early intervention services envisioned by the IDEIA. Implications for school psychologists and directions for future research are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing education needs in school psychology.

A continuing education survey sent to 250 school psychologists in upstate New York investigated interest in professional development programs, appropriate formats for continuing education, and opinions on topical priorities. Results from 138 respondents show that 95% of them would attend a continuing education institute if it were in an area of interest. Practitioners' specific format preferences for professional development programs are outlined. The topic priorities appear to conform to skill needs created by federal legislation affecting special education, thus supporting the contention that continuing education needs in school psychology may be a widespread phenomenon. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characteristics of health education among secondary schools--School Health Education Profiles, 1996

PROBLEM/CONDITION: School health education (e.g., classroom training) is an essential component of school health programs; such education promotes the health of youth and improves overall public health. REPORTING PERIOD: February-May 1996. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: The School Health Education Profiles monitor characteristics of health education in middle or junior high schools and senior high schools. The Profiles are school-based surveys conducted by state and local education agencies. This report summarizes results from 35 state surveys and 13 local surveys conducted among representative samples of school principals and lead health education teachers. The lead health education teacher is the person who coordinates health education policies and programs within a middle or junior high school and senior high school. RESULTS: During the study period, almost all schools in states and cities required health education in grades 6-12; of these, a median of 87.6% of states and 75.8% of cities taught a separate health education course. The median percentage of schools that tried to increase student knowledge on certain topics (i.e., prevention of tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, violence, or suicide; dietary behaviors and nutrition; and physical activity and fitness) was > 72% for each of these topics. The median percentage of schools that tried to improve certain student skills (i.e., communication, decision making, goal setting, resisting social pressures, nonviolent conflict resolution, stress management, and analysis of media messages) was > 69% for each of these skills. The median percentage of schools that had a health education teacher coordinate health education was 33.0% across states and 26.8% across cities. Almost all schools taught HIV education as part of a required health education course (state median: 94.3%; local median: 98.1%), and more than half (state median: 69.5%; local median: 82.5%) had a written policy on HIV infection among students and school staff. A median of 41.0% of schools across states and a median of 25.8% of schools across cities had a lead health education teacher with professional preparation in health and physical education, and < 25% of schools across states or cities had a lead health education teacher with professional preparation in health education only. Across states, the median percentage of schools, whose lead health education teacher had received in-service training on certain health education topics, ranged from 15.6% for suicide prevention to 51.4% for HIV prevention; across cities, the median percentage ranged from 26.2% for suicide prevention to 76.1% for HIV prevention. A median of 19.7% of schools across states and 18.1% of schools across cities had a school health advisory council. Of the schools that received parental feedback (state median: 59.1%; local median: 54.2%), > 78% reported receiving positive feedback. INTERPRETATION: More than 75% of schools have a required course in health education to help provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to adopt healthy lifestyles. ACTIONS TAKEN: The School Health Education Profiles data are being used by state and local education officials to improve school health education and HIV education.     

Education reform: Challenges for psychology and psychologists.

National, state, and local education reform agendas have been on a fast track for more than a decade. Although some psychologists have been active in promoting psychology and psychological services in education reform initiatives, knowledge about their efforts is fragmented. In order to educate psychologists about education reform, this article highlights the impetus for the recent education reform movement, briefly reviews the latest waves of education reform, and discusses the development of the National Education Goals. Then, an argument is made for the integration of education, health, and social reform initiatives; state-level education reform principles and initiatives are highlighted, illustrated by the systemic education reform mandate in Kentucky. Next, progress toward the development and implementation of an APA-sponsored response to the National Education Goals is discussed. Finally, objectives and roles for psychologists in advancing education reform are presented, and guidelines for the education and training of future psychologists are introduced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Francis Cecil Sumner: His views and influence on African American higher education.

During the mid-1920s, Francis Cecil Sumner, the first African American to earn a PhD in psychology, published 2 articles concerning strategies for the higher education of African American youths. These articles called for a system of segregated education emphasizing an "industrial" style advocated by Booker T. Washington, as well as suggesting a measure of character development. The justification cited by Sumner for such unequal education for African Americans was the cultural inferiority of that population. The present article argues that Sumner's views were couched in terms that fit the prevailing paradigm of the White establishment, with the purpose of generating political and economic support for any type of higher education for African Americans. Evidence drawn from Sumner's early education and his graduate school days at Clark University, as well as testimonials from colleagues and students, are provided in support of this hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teachers' judgment of students' potential as a function of teachers' susceptibility to biasing information.

26 physical education student teachers were asked to nominate 3 students of high potential in physical education (high expectancy) and 3 of low potential (low expectancy). Ss were divided into a high-bias and a no-bias group, reflecting extreme levels of susceptibility to stereotypically biasing information in scoring drawings allegedly made by high- and low-status children. Six characteristics of students nominated into the high- and low-expectancy groups were investigated: ethnic origin, socioeconomic status, physical attractiveness, quality of clothing, grade in physical education, and overall academic achievement. Nominations of physical education potential by no-bias Ss were related only to grade in physical education (interpreted to be a nonbiased nomination), whereas nominations of high-bias Ss were significantly related to all student characteristics except ethnic origin. The advantages of a differential approach to social cognition are discussed. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parents' knowledge of respiratory disease: A comparison of inner-city and suburban parents

The difference in knowledge of common diseases between inner-city parents and suburban parents may be even greater than generally thought. Measuring this difference should serve to emphasize the general neglect of the subject of parent (or patient) education in medical schools, residency programs, and in pediatric texts and journals. The present study of parents' knowledge of respiratory disease shows that inner-city parents scored 20 points lower than suburban parents (67% vs. 87%). In the inner-city group Spanish-American parents scored 11 points lower than non-Spanish-American parents (61% vs. 72%). Thus, the urgent need for better health education, especially in the inner city, is emphasized. Several basic reviews of articles on health education show clearly that this subject is very complex and poorly understood by many investigators. Adequate controls are hard to establish, and long-term benefits are hard to prove. Hospitals are reluctant to spend additional funds on health education unless a convincing cost-benefit relationship can be shown. However, the costs of ignoring the problems of health education are probably much greater than the costs of conducting a well-organized program.     

Continuing education of the intensive care units nursing staff in the city of Sao Paulo]

This study is part of a project about ICU's characteristics in S?o Paulo city. This article describes the continuing education programs for nursing staff. 43 ICUs were analysed and the questionnaire answered by the ICU nurse coordinator was used to collect data. Results showed that 34 (79.1%) of the ICUs have initial program for training each nursing staff category and 18 (41.9%) had regular continuing education program focusing primarily on nursing procedures and routines and the update in pathologies. Continuing education programs are developed primarily by ICU's nurses. 50.2% of the nurses answered that they attended specialisation/extension courses too, in Medical Surgical Nursing or in other areas or in both areas. Due to this result and the development of the ICU's nurses as specialists, some suggestions are presented to improve the continuing education program in these Units.     

APA-Approved Sponsors of Continuing Education in Psychology.

The Sponsor Approval System, established in 1979 by the APA Council of Representatives, was developed in response to an increasing emphasis on more formalized continuing education programs for psychologists, with the accompanying need for methods of recognizing qualified providers. The system provides national standards for continuing education in psychology, a computerized APA Continuing Education (CE) Registry, and a CE calendar/clearinghouse. A list is provided of organizations that have been approved by the Subcommittee on CE Sponsor Approval to offer continuing education activities for psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Award for Distinguished Career Contributions to Education and Training and Award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training.

Presents the citations, biographies, and selected bibliographies for the 2007 recipients of the American Psychological Associations Award for Distinguished Career Contributions to Education and Training and Award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training. These awards are given by the Board of Educational Affairs in recognition of the efforts of psychologists who have made distinguished contributions to education and training, who have produced imaginative innovations, or who have been involved in the developmental phases of programs in education and training in psychology. These contributions might include important research on education and training; the development of effective materials for instruction; the establishment of workshops, conferences, or networks of communication for education and training; achievement and leadership in administration that facilitates education and training; or activity in professional organizations that promote excellence. The Distinguished Career Contributions Award recognizes continuous significant contributions made over a lifelong career in psychology; the Distinguished Contributions Award recognizes a more specific contribution to education and training. The 2007 recipients are Thomas R. Kratochwill and Sheila M. Eyberg, respectively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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)     

Ten years after the Hawthorn Report: Changing psychological implications for the education of Canadian native peoples.

The educational implications of psychological research with Canadian Native children during the past decade are discussed within the framework of 3 implied educational models. The 1st, "remedial education," assumes the principal function of the school is to correct deficiencies in the child's behavior. The 2nd model is termed "supplementary education" and emphasizes the need for mutual adaptation between Native groups and educational institutions. The 3rd model, "instrumental education," is implied when the problems of Native education are identified with the alien and imposed nature of traditional education itself. (French summary) (50 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of fear-arousing components of driver education on students' safety attitudes and simulator performance.

Notes that despite the importance of driving safety, there is little evidence that traditional driver education courses are effective. A 2 * 2 * 2 factorial experiment examined the effects of (a) the noxiousness of an automobile accident, (b) one's probability of being in an accident, and (c) the efficacy of safe-driving practices on 144 high school driver education students. Results show that increments in the noxiousness variable greatly reduced error rates on driving simulators. Additionally, if Ss behaved negligently, driving performance was improved by increasing either their perception of the severity of accidents or their chances of being in one. Advantages of discovering effective variables linked to general psychological theories (i.e., expectancy-value theories) are reviewed, and implications for implementing these principles in driver education are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Focus group interviews: assessment of continuing education needs for the advanced practice nurse

This article reports the use of focus group interviews to promote the development of continuing education programs that meet the needs of advanced practice nurses (APNs). The three major needs identified were: a) enhancement of clinical practice skills and knowledge in specialty areas, b) education about future changes in the APN role, and c) education in management strategies for the changing health care delivery system. A summary of the investigation and implications for continuing nursing education departments are also presented.