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!!!