board certification in clinical psychology board certification in clinical child & adolescent...
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Board Certification in Clinical PsychologyBoard Certification in Clinical Child &
Adolescent Psychology
A. J Finch, Jr., Ph.D., ABPP President: Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
W. M. Nelson, III, Ph.D., ABPP Past-President: Board of Clinical Psychology
Hallmarks of a Profession Practitioners provide services perceived by the
public as valuable and necessary Services are based on a body of knowledge The methods, techniques, and procedures used by
practitioners derive from the knowledge base Society recognizes the profession through
legislative action and enactment of licensing or certification statutes
The profession voluntarily develops self-regulatory mechanisms (accreditation of training programs, ethical codes, board certification of specialists)
The Credentialing Continuum
Accredited Doctoral Program
Accredited Internship
Accredited Post-
doctoral Residency
Licensed by State or Province
Identified as Health Service Provider
Board Certified in
Area of Specialty Practice
Examples of Board Certification in Related Professions
Medicine has a history of board certification dating from the early 20th Century and the American Board of Medical Specialties has 24 affiliated specialty examining boards
In 1999, the ABMS reported that 89% of licensed physicians were certified in one or more medical specialties (compared to less than 5% of psychologists in 2002)
Specialty Certification in Psychology The American Board of Examiners in
Professional Psychology was established in 1947 with the support of the American Psychological Association
Three “fields of certification” were identified initially:
Clinical Psychology Personnel–Industrial Psychology (Organizational &
Business Consulting) Personnel–Educational Psychology (Counseling)
Specialty Certification in Psychology In 1968 the name was shortened to the American
Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), and School Psychology was recognized as a fourth specialty
In 1984 and 1985, the American Boards of Clinical Neuropsychology and Forensic Psychology were accepted under an enlarging ABPP umbrella
Specialty Certification in Psychology ABPP expanded rapidly during the 1990s and
into the 21st Century with the recognition and affiliation of the American Boards of Family Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Clinical Health Psychology, Behavioral Psychology, Psychoanalysis in Psychology, Rehabilitation Psychology, Group Psychology, Organizational & Business Consulting Psychology, and Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
Specialty Certification in Psychology ABPP exists through its Board of Trustees as an
umbrella organization or unitary governing body coordinating the efforts of 13 affiliated specialty examining boards
ABPP assures the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of specialty standards and examinations by its member boards
ABPP serves the public needs by providing oversight certifying psychologists competent to deliver high quality services in various specialty areas of psychology
Table 1 Recognized Specialties in American Psychology, 2003
Specialty CRSPPP/APA ABPP CoS
Behavioral Psychology Yes Yes Yes Clinical Psychology Yes Yes Yes Clinical Neuropsychology Yes Yes Yes Clinical Child Psychology Yes Yes Yes Clinical Health Psychology Yes Yes Yes Counseling Psychology Yes Yes Yes Family Psychology Yes Yes Yes Forensic Psychology Yes Yes Yes Group Psychology No Yes Yes Industrial/Organizational Yes Yes No Psychoanalytic Psychology Yes Yes Yes Rehabilitation Psychology No Yes Yes School Psychology Yes Yes Yes
Vanity Boards, Quasi Certification, and Separating theWheat from the Chaff
All professions suffer from this problem, some more than others
Why Seek Board Certification in Psychology?
Preparing for and participation in the board certification process provides people
the opportunity to consolidate their own learning and perspective
the chance to articulate their own views and perspectives in a more advanced and sophisticated way
a structure to facilitate the self-assessment process an important continuing professional education
opportunity
Why is Certification Necessary and Essential in Psychology?
The exponential growth of psychological knowledge leaves no alternative but specialization
Our work environments impel us to specialize
Our professional context reinforces the need for specialization
Why is Certification Necessary and Essential in Psychology?
The generic nature of psychology licensing in North America presumes additional professional self-regulation of specialty practice
Most important, protecting the public from charlatans and the ill-prepared requires personal and professional self-regulation
Why Become Board Certified in Psychology?
Board certification is the highest credential for a psychologist and it denotes a level of competence (knowledge, skills, attitudes)
It is the "final examination" that gives our students, the profession, and the public that extra confidence one gets when being referred to as a board-certified specialist
Why Get Board Certified in Psychology?
Board certification assures the public that you are a specialist that has successfully completed the educational, training, and experience requirements of the specialty, including an examination designed to assess the competencies required to provide quality services in that specialty
Board certification is a credential that is understood by other professionals and the public
Getting board certified supports the profession
Board certification may make mobility easier
Eligibility Requirements
Degree – Doctoral degree from a program in professional psychology that was accredited or meets designation requirements – transcripts are required
Internship – APA or CPA accredited, APPIC approved
Eligibility Requirements
Postdoctoral Experience and Supervision Experience –
2 years of experience working in a manner consistent with that associated with clinical psychology OR
Successful completion of a formal postdoctoral training program in Clinical Psychology and clinical child (1 year)
Supervision 2 years of postdoctoral supervision OR 1 year of supervision in a formal postdoctoral training program
in Clinical or Professional Psychology A licensed psychologist should conduct this supervision
(variance request is possible)
Eligibility Requirements
Licensure –Licensed or certified in your jurisdiction and in compliance with State or Provincial Board regulations
3 or more years of professional experience (including the internship year)
If a member of the National or Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Professional Psychology or hold a Certificate of Professional Qualifications in Psychology (CPQ) this facilitates credential review
Eligibility Requirements: Degree Variance
To qualify for a degree variance, must Have a doctoral degree in an applied area of psychology
(counseling, health, school) 5 years postdoctoral experience as a clinical psychologist
– 1 of which was supervised by a licensed psychologist Demonstrate self-identification as a clinical psychologist OR, ABClinP recognizes formal respecialization as a
partial qualifier
Eligibility Requirements: Senior Psychologist Option
15 years or more post-doctorate experience
Must complete Professional Statement and Practice Sample that discusses contribution to clinical psychology (e.g., clinical practice, professional publication, teaching, training, clinical research project)
Most successful Senior Candidates have submitted some additional written products that form the basis of an interesting discussion among well-informed peers
Taped Clinical evaluation and intervention sample are NOT required
Application and Review Process
Submit Application Form, application fee, and credentials to ABPP Central Office who verify credentials (Stage I – Credentials Review)
Credentials Review Committee conducts evaluation for specialty requirements and may ask for additional information (Stage I – Credentials Review)
If approved, Regional Board member is informed
Prepare practice samples – 3 copies of which must be received within 12 months of credentials acceptance and must be accompanied by examination fee
Application and Review Process
Regional Exam Coordinator, guided by the Professional Statement, selects a Chair and together they select 2 board members and inform the candidate
The 3 committee members review the practice samples (Stage II – Practice Sample)
If Stage 2 is passed (2 independent passes), oral examination is held with same 3 member committee (Stage III – Oral Examination)
* There is NO written examination in either the clinical or clinical child process
Application and Review Process
Notification of outcome by ABPP Central Office Successful Candidates receive a congratulatory letter from ABPP Candidates who fail receive a report from the Examination
Committee that documents the outcome and rationale, identifies specific areas of weakness and suggestions from improvement, and identifies specific areas of strength and competence
Certificates are mailed out shortly after the successful completion of the exam
ABPP Convocation at APA annual convention and newly board certified psychologists are asked to attend (not required)
Practice Sample:Curriculum Vitae
Send 3 copies of all Practice Sample materials
Curriculum Vitae along with the practice sample provides the Candidate with the opportunity to communicate about him/her self as a Clinical/Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychologist and serves as the basis for discussion in the opening portion of the Oral Examination
Practice Sample:Professional Statement
10 double spaced pages maximum
Employment and Professional Activities – Present the full scope of your primary employment and professional activities at the local, state, and national level
Theoretical Orientation – Describe in detail your theoretical orientation, theorists and researchers that influenced your framework, and how the framework guides your work (*in the Practice Sample and Oral Examination, demonstrate actions congruent with this orientation)
Diversity Considerations – address ways in which your theoretical model informs your attitudes toward diversity considerations
Practice Sample:Professional Statement
Continuing Professional Education – Discuss the books, lectures, or articles in the past 2 years that have stimulated you and the professional organizations you participate in
Confidentiality – Describe how you handle diagnosis or other information furnished to third party payers, consultation with colleagues, or other matters related to privilege or confidentiality
Pro-Bono Work – Describe circumstances under which your provide pro-bon, volunteer or reduced fee services
Practice Sample:Professional Statement
Long Term Plans – Present your long term plans within psychology
Reasons for Board Certification – Indicate the reasons for your application for Board Certification
Ethical/Legal Status – Verify that no ethical/legal action has taken place since admission to candidacy
Practice Sample:Professional Statement
Ethical Dilemma – Describe an ethical dilemma that you have faced professionally, addressing what aspects of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct it related to and how you handled the dilemma, and any diversity considerations that may have arisen in resolving this dilemma (1-2 paragraphs)
Practice Sample: Video Assessment and Intervention Samples
2 video samples of professional work
3 copies of a single cassette/disk with both topics
Each sample approximately 50 minutes in length
Good audio and video quality is essential
Typed verbal transcripts (3 copies) only if there are taping problems should be submitted and marked to show areas of lower audio quality
Practice Sample: Video Assessment and Intervention Samples
Unrehearsed assessment (1st 50 minutes including rapport building, not just administration of tests)
Unrehearsed intervention
Do not need to provide exemplary work or gold standard session, just your usual good work
Use work samples that reflect the work you actually do
Work conducted no more than 6 months prior to submission
Practice Sample: Videotape Assessment and Intervention Samples
Must obtain Client Consent Forms (Form F) as part of the videotape process
Remove all identifiers from all materials
Practice Sample: Assessment
Assessment Practice Sample should include the following contextual and supplementary information (1000-1500 words)
Date of client contacts Non-identifying descriptive information Presenting problem Brief history Rationale for procedures used Copies of raw data, protocols, and computer printouts
(if applicable)
Practice Sample: Assessment
Contextual and supplementary information (cont.) Formulation and discussion of the problem in terms of
identified theory of practice and relevant research Discussion of the diversity considerations involved Reflective comment on the Candidate’s own behavior in
the sample Copy of full written report with diagnosis and
recommendations
*Where standardized instruments are used, must demonstrate thorough knowledge of construction, administration and interpretation
Practice Sample: Intervention
Intervention Practice Sample should include the following contextual and supplementary information (1000-1500 words)
Contact dates Current session number in total sequence Non-identifying descriptive information Presenting problem Diagnosis Brief history
Practice Sample: Intervention
Contextual and supplementary information (cont.) Formulation and discussion of problem Rationale for interventions used Goals for present intervention Reflective comment on the Candidate’s own behavior in
the sample
*Each candidate will be queried as to how he/she handled confidentiality, informed consent, and privacy
Oral Examination
4 hours scheduled at mutually convenient time and place
Standard structure with some flexibility
Significant variations in format and schedule must be mutually agreed upon between Candidate and Chair and documented in a signed written statement stipulating that these will not serve as grounds for appeal of failed examination
Oral Examination: Summary Schedule
Committee Meets & Organizes
Committee Greets Candidate
Examination on Professional Statement and Practice Sample
Exam on Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues and Research Awareness (includes 10 minutes to review ethical vignettes)
Exam wrap-up and Discussion
Committee Votes, Completes Forms, Writes Report
10 minutes
10 minues
105 minutes
15 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
Ethics Vignettes
Standardized vignettes are selected at random
Given 1 (sometimes 2) standardized vignette to discuss
Do not necessarily expect right answer, but a presentation of relevant options and a demonstration of the ability to thoughtfully weigh them in light of APA ethics principles, professional practice standards, relevant statutes
Vignettes are treated as confidential and returned
Competencies Assessed
The following inter-related domains of professional competence are assessed
Constructive assessment and intervention Awareness of the relevance of research and theory Sensitivity to ethical and legal implications of
professional practice for consumer protection Supervision and consultation skills Professional development
Scoring Criteria
The following areas of professional functioning constitute the examination
Professional knowledge Assessment competence Intervention competence Interpersonal competence in dealing with clients Ethical and legal standards and behavior Commitment to and involvement in the specialty of
clinical psychology, including awareness of current issues
Supervision and consultation competence
Scoring Criteria
Each of these areas of professional functioning are comprised of sub-components
There are examples of passing level and failing level performance that are used to rate Candidates
Scoring Criteria
Stage II – Must be rated as functioning acceptability in professional knowledge, as well as assessment, intervention, and interpersonal competence to advance to Stage III
Stage III – Must be rated as functioning acceptably in all 7 areas before an Examiner may vote to award Board Certification
If the Candidate’s functioning is midway between passing and failing, then pass
Costs
Application fee - $125
Practice Sample fee - $250
Oral Examination Fee - $450
TOTAL = $825
Where From Here
Download the Examination Manual from the website (www.abpp.org)
Consider getting a mentor
Consider forming a study group
Read the Monitor and the American Psychologist
Where From Here
Contact ABPP Central Office (www.abpp.org) –
1-800-255-7792
Good luck and enjoy the process!!!