Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

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)
Life-long learning for psychologists: Current status and a vision for the future.
As a profession we are committed to maintaining and enhancing our competence as psychologists in order to most effectively serve the public throughout our careers. While this is a widely shared commitment among psychologists, there is considerably less consensus regarding how best to accomplish this goal. This dilemma is examined from the ethical, educational and legal perspectives. The American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code clearly articulates that competence is an ethical duty, although there is little guidance provided in the code as to how to meet this standard. As a profession we have tended to focus on the construct of life-long learning and we have incorporated this principle into our education and training standards. In fact, APA accreditation requires that doctoral programs inculcate this value into our foundational training. The majority of Psychology Licensing Boards have addressed this issue through the endorsement of mandatory continuing education requirements that primarily focus on hours and the content or structure of approved programs. Potential limitations to our ability to effectively self-assess our professional training needs are discussed and several innovative models are presented for integrating effective self-assessment and continuing education. Three invited experts provide commentaries that further explore the challenges and dilemmas posed by the ethical, legal and professional duty to maintain and enhance competence throughout our professional careers. These commentaries broaden the considerations, provide practical suggestions from other professions and provide a vision for the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Preparing psychologists for high-risk jobs: Key ethical considerations for military clinical supervisors.
Military psychologists must provide a full gamut of mental health evaluation, treatment, and consultative services in a variety of nontraditional settings. Internship training and postdoctoral supervision are key to producing competent military psychologists that can simultaneously serve effectively as commissioned officers. The context of supervision has evolved in recent years as the majority of military psychologists are deployed to the combat theater and many are tasked with nontraditional operational roles. This article explores the key ethical considerations faced by supervisors who prepare psychology interns, postdoctoral residents, or civilian psychologists for high-risk military roles in a time of war. Recommendations are provided for both clinical supervisors and military psychology leaders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Evidence-based practice and the culture of adolescence.
Evidence-based practice requires attention to the client context, including client culture. We propose that the developmental period of adolescence is characterized by a unique culture that has important implications for evidence-based practice. Specifically, this paper explores three features of adolescent culture (importance of technology, centrality of peers, and the ongoing challenge of identity formation and individuation) that may be especially salient when treating adolescents. We then provide recommendations for how these features can be addressed in adapting existing evidence-based protocols and designing new interventions for adolescents, using examples from the literature to illustrate innovative applications. Overall, we argue that considering adolescent culture and thoughtfully tailoring treatment to that culture is consistent with the evidence-based practice framework and could enhance therapeutic outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Interpersonal psychotherapy for co-occurring depression and chronic pain.
Up to 37% of individuals experience chronic pain during their lifetimes. Approximately one fourth of primary care patients with chronic pain also meet criteria for major depression. Many of these individuals fail to receive psychotherapy or other treatment for their depression; moreover, when they do, physical pain is often not addressed directly. Women, socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, African Americans, and Latinos all report higher rates of pain and depression compared with other groups. This article describes a version of interpersonal psychotherapy tailored for patients with comorbid depression and chronic pain, interpersonal psychotherapy for depression and pain (IPT-P). IPT-P potentially could be delivered to many patient populations in a range of clinical settings, but this article focuses on its delivery within primary care settings for socioeconomically disadvantaged women. Adaptations include a brief 8-session protocol that incorporates strategies for anticipating barriers to psychotherapy, accepting patients' conceptualization of their difficulties, encouraging patients to consider the impact of their pain on their roles and relationships, emphasizing self-care, incorporating pain management techniques, and flexible scheduling. In addition, IPT-P is designed as an adjunct to usual medical pain treatment, and seeks to engage non–treatment-seeking patients in psychotherapy by focusing on accessibility and relevance of the intervention to concerns common among patients with pain. Identifying patients with comorbid depression and chronic pain and offering IPT-P as a treatment option have the potential to improve clinical outcomes for individuals with depression and chronic pain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Correction to Sherman et al. (2009).
Reports an error in "Adapting the multifamily group model to the Veterans Affairs system: The REACH Program" by Michelle D. Sherman, Ellen P. Fischer, Kristen Sorocco and William R. McFarlane (Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2009[Dec], Vol 40[6], 593-600). The copyright for this article was incorrectly listed. This article is in the Public Domain. The online version has been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2009-23462-008.) The Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center modified an evidence-based model of family psychoeducation (the multifamily group model; McFarlane, 2002) and implemented it for the first time in a VA setting and with veterans living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Named the REACH Program (Reaching out to Educate and Assist Caring, Healthy Families), the 3-phase program begins with 4 weekly “joining sessions” with the individual veteran and his/her family focused on rapport building, assessment, and goal setting. Phase II consists of 6 weekly diagnosis-specific educational/support sessions for cohorts of 4 to 6 veterans and their families. In Phase III, veterans/families attend 6 monthly multifamily groups to support the maintenance of gains. This article describes the rationale for modifying the original Multifamily Group Program (MFG) for a unique setting (the VA) and the needs of families of veterans in a new diagnostic group (PTSD). The changes to the MFG curriculum are specifically described, and details of the new REACH intervention are explained. Attendance, retention, and satisfaction data for 2 diagnostic cohorts, PTSD and affective disorders, are also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Comparison of public/private health care insurance parameters for independent psychological practice.
Managed care cost-cutting strategies are more prevalent in the private (employer provided) than public (Medicare/Medicaid) health care sectors. The main organizational managed care strategy pertaining to the independent practice of psychology has been the separation of the administration of mental from medical health care though behavioral health carve-outs. These organizations typically offer lower reimbursement rates and have greater preauthorization requirements than non-managed care public plans for the same psychological service. Dispute resolution in the private sector involves lawsuits and state consumer protection programs while public plans utilize internal review and are subject to investigations of provider billing fraud and abuse. Behavioral health carve-outs have reduced mental health care utilization rates with unknown effects upon outcome. There is some evidence that psychologists have chosen to limit practice within the private sector, but national data on the overall effect is lacking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Massage therapy: Significance and relevance to professional practice.
While many individuals utilize massage therapy, there is a relative paucity of research on its effectiveness. In addition to a lack of familiarity with documented massage therapy effects, practicing psychologists may not be aware of the training, experience, and credentials required for massage therapy and thus may be reluctant to make referrals, or may risk making inappropriate referrals. The present article aims to define and describe massage therapy, and to survey the clinical conditions and populations for which evidence supports the utilization of massage therapy. Existing research supports the effectiveness of massage therapy for pain reduction, anxiety, and depression, and for a range of clinical conditions, from premature infants to the agitated elderly, and from various autoimmune and immune conditions to various sleep disorders, spinal cord injuries, and strokes. Furthermore, the current status of massage therapy training, certification, and licensure will be described and the relevance and significance of massage therapy for psychology will be discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Locational feminisms and feminist social identity analysis.
Locational feminisms encompass the many manifestations that feminisms assume as they emerge, travel, and are transplanted in a wide range of temporal, spatial, and cultural settings. Locational feminisms explore the interlocking oppressions and privileges associated with multidimensional and complex social identities associated with race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, culture, disability, and other social statuses. They also critique feminisms based on generalizations about middle class women's lives, and move the experiences and perspectives of diverse groups of individuals from the margin to the center of exploration. The locational feminisms addressed in this article include postmodern feminism, women of color feminisms, lesbian feminisms and queer theory, transnational and postcolonial feminisms, and third wave feminisms. Social identity analysis refers to the assessment of the social categories a person occupies and how these memberships are relevant to personal identity; perceived sources of strength and challenge; and experiences of empowerment, privilege, and discrimination. The locational feminisms hold substantial potential for informing social identity analysis, which supports comprehensive assessment relevant to social justice approaches. The article begins with a summary of the theoretical literature that informs locational feminisms, and is followed by a discussion of implications and applications relevant to feminist and other social justice practices in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
A model for home-based psychology from the veterans health administration.
The changing healthcare environment is creating opportunities for psychologists to practice in non-traditional settings. This paper describes a Veterans Health Administration (VA) initiative to integrate psychologists into its Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) program. As psychologists new to HBPC are learning, the home offers opportunities and challenges not routinely encountered in the traditional office setting. Home-based psychology offers improved access to mental health services, more effective treatment planning, and more accurate assessments in an underserved patient population. Psychologists practicing in this setting also encounter challenges in dealing with patient confidentiality, distractions, role confusion and boundaries, time management, safety, and professional competency. The VA experience is an instructive case example for psychologists considering this growing field of practice. This paper offers lessons learned from this VA initiative and discusses strategies for dealing with potential challenges. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
The men's center approach to addressing the health crisis of college men.
College men's health is in crisis, yet men are reluctant to seek mental health services. How can psychologists provide interventions to engage and empower college men to address their health needs? What are the components of culturally-tailored interventions for college men? We describe the origins and operations of a university-based Men's Center devoted to helping college men lead healthy lives. The Men's Center has evolved into a therapeutic and training approach that guides campus psychologists toward unique roles to intervene effectively with college men. Key components of the Men's Center Approach (MCA) include acceptance, nonjudgment and unconditional positive regard, respect for diversity, working from the inside-out, power sharing, strategic use of the planning process, therapeutic experiences in nontherapy settings, and fostering and strengthening commitments to social justice and activism. Central to these components is our notion of possible masculinity, in which we focus on men's aspirations and future goals for their identities and behaviors based on what men need to become healthy, responsible, and nurturing in their families and communities. Practical applications of these components are presented through examples of two Men's Center interventions. We conclude by discussing how psychologists can implement the MCA in their clinical practice with men to increase cultural competence with men while working across various settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice - Vol 41, Iss 4