Self-Assessment in Clinical Health Psychology

A Model for Ethical Expansion of Practice

Belar, Cynthia D.
Brown, Robert A.
Hersch, Lee E.
Hornyak, Lynne M.
Rozensky, Ronald H.
Sheridan, Edward P.
Brown, Ronald T.
Reed, Geoffrey W.

¹University of Florida Health Science Center
²University of Maryland
³Augusta Psychological Associates
⁴Washington, DC
⁵University of Houston
⁶University of South Carolina
⁷American Psychological Association.

⁸Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Cynthia D. Belar, American Psychological Association, Education Directorate, 750 First Street, Washington, DC 20002–4242. Electronic mail may be sent to [email protected].

Cynthia D. Belar received her PhD in clinical psychology in 1974 from Ohio University. She was professor and director of the clinical psychology doctoral program at the University of Florida Health Science Center at the time this article was written. She is now executive director of the Education Directorate at the American Psychological Association (APA).

Robert A. Brown received his PhD from the University of Iowa. He is on the faculty of the University of Maryland, College Park.

Lee E. Hersch received his PhD in clinical psychology from the United States International University in 1976. He is a licensed clinical psychologist at Augusta Psychological Associates.

Lynne M. Hornyak received her PhD in clinical psychology from Catholic University. She is in independent practice in Washington, DC.

Ronald H. Rozensky received his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in 1974. He is professor and chair of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida.

Edward P. Sheridan received his PhD in clinical psychology from Loyola University (Chicago). He is senior vice chancellor of the University of Houston System and senior vice president, provost, and professor of psychology at the University of Houston.

Ronald T. Brown received his PhD in child development from Georgia State University in 1978. He is professor of pediatrics and director of the Program in Pediatric Psychology in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Geoffrey W. Reed received his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1989. He is currently assistant executive director for professional development in the APA Practice Directorate.

Some of the ideas for this article were initially developed as part of the APA Board of Professional Affairs Task Force Report on the Expanding Role of Psychology in Health Care. This article does not reflect the views or opinions of the Education Directorate or any other component or governance group of APA.

Received Date: April 30, 1999; Revised Date: October 29, 1999; Accepted Date: November 9, 1999

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 32(2):p 135-141, April 2001.

Society expects autonomous professions to ensure the competency of its practitioners, and professions should facilitate the continuing education and training of its members. Given the shift from psychology as a mental health profession to that of a health profession, the authors propose a self-assessment model for the individual practitioner to gauge his or her readiness to provide professional services in expanded areas of practice. This model could also be useful to the American Psychological Association, state psychological associations, and other purveyors of continuing education programs in systematically developing postgraduate experiences. A template for self-assessment that reflects well-accepted core domains of knowledge and skills is presented.