Guidelines for Education and Training at the Doctoral and Postdoctoral Levels in Consulting Psychology/ Organizational Consulting Psychology
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Guidelines for Education and Training at the Doctoral and Postdoctoral Levels in Consulting Psychology/ Organizational Consulting Psychology American Psychological Association Purpose of the Guidelines the observation, description, evaluation, interpretation, and/or modification of human behavior by the application of psycholog- The purpose of these “Guidelines for Education and Train- ical principles, methods, or procedures, for the purpose of pre- ing at the Doctoral and Postdoctoral Levels in Consulting venting or eliminating symptomatic, maladaptive, or undesired Psychology/Organizational Consulting Psychology” is to behavior and or enhancing interpersonal relationships, work and provide a common framework for use in the development, life adjustment, personal effectiveness, behavioral health and evaluation, and review of education and training in con- mental health. The practice of psychology includes, but is not sulting psychology/organizational consulting psychology limited to, psychological testing and the evaluation or assessment (CP/OCP). The intent of these guidelines is to improve the of personal characteristics, such as intelligence, personality, abil- quality of teaching and learning in the area of the practice ities, interests, aptitudes, and neuropsychological functioning; of CP, especially OCP, within the scientific discipline and counseling, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, hypnosis, biofeed- profession of psychology. back, and behavior analysis and therapy; diagnosis and treatment Towards these ends, this document is intended as of mental and emotional disorder or disability, alcoholism and sub- guidance for psychologists who teach or plan curricula for stance abuse, disorders of habit or conduct, as well as psychoeduca- teaching CP/OCP at doctoral or postdoctoral levels of tional evaluation, therapy, remediation, and consultation. Psycholog- professional education and training in psychology. The ical services may be rendered to individuals, families, groups, guidelines are structured in the form of overarching prin- organizations, institutions and the public. The practice of psychol- ciples, general competencies, and domain-specific compe- ogy shall be construed within the meaning of this definition without regard to whether payment is received for services ren- tencies that are ideally obtained by persons receiving train- dered [certain exemptions are noted, e.g., for teaching and research]. ing at the doctoral or postdoctoral level in CP/OCP (see Figure 1). Consulting psychology, a practice that focuses on con- Authors of these revised Guidelines for Education and Training at the sultation to, with, or for individuals and organizations at Doctoral and Postdoctoral Levels in Consulting Psychology/Organiza- individual, group, and organizational/systemwide levels tional Consulting Psychology, which were adopted by the APA Council of rooted in multiple areas of substantive expertise, is used Representatives in 2005, were Ann M. O’Roark, PhD (APA Division 13 Council Representative, 2004–2006, private practice consultant in man- here as defined in the 1999 Bylaws of the Society of agement and leadership development, St. Augustine, FL); Paul J. Lloyd, Consulting Psychology (SCP), Division 13 of the Ameri- PhD (APA Division 13 Council Representative, 1998–2003, Southeast can Psychological Association (APA): Missouri State University); and Stewart Cooper, PhD (APA Division 13 Education and Training Committee chair, 2001–2004, Valparaiso Univer- Consulting psychology, for the purposes of these By-Laws, shall sity). Members of the Division 13 Guidelines Development Committee, be defined as the function of applying and extending the special 1997–2001, were Rodney L. Lowman, PhD (APA Division 13 Education knowledge of a psychologist, through the process of consultation, and Training Committee chair; Alliant International University); Clayton to problems involving human behavior in various areas. A con- Alderfer, PhD (Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional sulting psychologist shall be defined as a psychologist who pro- Psychology); Michael Atella, PhD (Argonne National Laboratory, Uni- vides specialized technical assistance to individuals or organiza- versity of Chicago); Stewart Cooper, PhD (Valparaiso University); An- tions in regard to the psychological aspects of their work. Such drew Garman, PhD (Rush University); David Hellkamp, PhD (Xavier University); Richard Kilburg, PhD (Johns Hopkins University); Paul assistance is advisory in nature and the consultant has no direct Lloyd, PhD (Southeast Missouri State University); and Ann M. O’Roark, responsibility for its acceptance. Consulting psychologists may PhD (private practice consultant, St. Augustine, FL). The Education and have as clients individuals, institutions, agencies, corporations or Training Committee Chair (1994–1997) of the Preparations for Develop- other kinds of organizations. (www.div13.org/bylaws.aspx) ment was DeWayne Kurpius, PhD (Indiana University). The authors wish to thank Paul Nelson of the APA Education Also relevant to these guidelines is the general definition of Directorate for his assistance in drafting and aligning the guidelines psychological practice noted in the APA “Model Act for according to APA policy for articulation of guidelines and for keen insight State Licensure of Psychologists” (APA, 1987) and the into the nature of the consulting function. Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to the Education Directorate, American Psychological Association, 750 First (ASPPB) “Model Act for Licensure of Psychologists” Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Printed literature is available (ASPPB, 1992). Practice of psychology is defined (ASPPB, from David Munz, Department of Psychology, 221 North Grand Boule- 1992, pp. 4–5) as vard, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103-2097. 980 December 2007 ● American Psychologist Copyright 2007 by the American Psychological Association 0003-066X/07/$12.00 Vol. 62, No. 9, 980–992 DOI: 10.1037/0003-066X.62.9.980 Figure 1 Overview of Consulting Psychology/Organizational Consulting Psychology Guidelines: General principles Working Model and Assumption of recommended adherence to the scientist–practitioner model; the Principles recognition of the evolving nature of the field; acknowl- edging the multiple avenues for preparation for various Areas of Training Addressed roles as a consulting psychologist; encouraging self-aware- This document proceeds from three overarching principles ness and self-management; relationship development; as- and 10 general areas of learning competencies, culminating sessment competency; process consultation; interventions in competencies specific to three domains or levels of and methodological diversities required to meet contextual organizational consulting psychology: individual, group, uniqueness; knowledge of theory, case studies, and empir- and organization/systemwide/intersystem (I-G-O). Al- ical research; application of multicultural/international though there are other applications of CP for which alter- competencies; research methods and statistics; technologi- native or additional competencies may be relevant (e.g., cal advances, business operations, industry regulations, and health-related CP), the specific areas of expertise addressed legal considerations; and advocating knowledge of and in this document relate to CP as it is applied to organiza- adherence to ethical and legal parameters. tional consulting psychology (OCP). These guidelines are Figure 1 provides an overview map of the CP/OCP not intended to replace, usurp, or conflict with training Guidelines. These guidelines include three overarching policies or principles that have been developed and ap- principles, the assumptions and premises of the guidelines; proved for other areas of practice such as those in indus- ten general competency areas, the foundations common to trial/organizational, clinical, counseling, or school psychol- applied psychology and included here to show the context ogy. of the OCP competencies; and three domains of specific These CP/OCP guidelines note that the effective prac- competencies—Individual, Group, and Organizational & tice of CP/OCP, ideally, draws simultaneously on general Systems [I-G-O], consolidated here to explicate competen- competencies applicable in every domain, for example: cies unique to OCP. The focus and task of this document is December 2007 ● American Psychologist 981 to address the Domain-Specific I-G-O competencies active participant in the consulting process at hand (Lippitt uniquely relevant to organizational consulting psychology. & Lippitt, 1978). Action research, an assessment or study of the situation and problem undertaken by the consultant Overarching Principles prior to the implementation of particular consultation ser- The overarching principles—(1) Scientist–Practitioner, (2) vices or interventions, is traced to Kurt Lewin (1951). An Evolving Field, and (3) Nonexclusivity—are the acknowl- example of such practice in OCP is the joint consultant– edged assumptions and psychological context within which client determination of an organization’s needs or critical the OCP competencies are framed. problems and ideal outcomes, sometimes called calibration consultation, a process that is important when applying General Competencies complex constructs to practical problems (Schein, 1985), The 10 general competencies as detailed and promulgated especially in international