Article archive / June 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 6. Source pages: 6.
ASPPB Announces Plans to Install Another Step in Licensing Exam for New Psychologists, EPPP – 2
The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) has announced their intention to develop an additional examination for licensing psychologists, called EPPP Step 2. In a May letter, Emil Rodolfa, PhD, Chair of the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) Step 2 Task Force, said he was writing to inform the psychology education community “…of an exciting new development in the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards’ (ASPPB) examination program,” the addition of a skills test.
“This skills-based examination will be designed to augment and complement the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which assesses the core knowledge deemed necessary for the practice of psychology,” Rodolfa wrote. He also said that psychology has been moving towards a skills assessment component to the EPPP for several years. And he said that the goal is to “measure the functional skills related to the competent practice of psychology.”
The target date for the EPPP Step 2 is January 2019, he said.
Rodolfa also said that ASPPB has a competency framework, outlined in a publication titled, “ASPPB Competencies Expected of Psychologists At The Point of Licensure.” In this document, authors list a number of competencies: 1) Scientific Orientation such as selecting evidence-based interventions, 2) Professional Practice such as effective interviewing skills for assessment or consulting skills, 3) Relational Competence such as communication and conflict management skills, 4) Professionalism such as defining limits of competence, 5) Ethical Practice such as recognizing when services are not necessary, and lastly 6) Systems Thinking such as interdisciplinary collaboration.
Rodolfa said that ASPPB realizes that adoption of this new exam by the licensing jurisdictions will require involvement of state and provincial licensing boards, state associations, and training associations.
The notice did not explain the reasoning behind the change, or what problems require an additional exam. The Times emailed Dr. Rodolfa to ask this an other questions, but no reply has been received as yet. Rates of problems in the Louisiana community fall at about .002 or .003, according to data on disciplinary actions.
The news of the new EPPP Step 2 Exam was met with concerns by some members of the Louisiana Psychological Association. Dr. Amy Henke posted to their list, “It worries me that as a profession, we continue to add cumbersome requirements and hoops to jump through for our ECPs [Early career psychologists]. Where is the data supporting that this will make future psychologists better/more effective?”
“Not only might this deter young clinicians from entering the field,” she wrote, “but it continues to align us with physicians.” She noted her concern about psychology following the medical model and asked where is the evidence that the model is superior. A number of psychologists posted on the list in support of her concerns.
Dr. Henke is currently one of the two names on a list for appointment to the state board. She is also serving on the Louisiana Psychological Assn Executive Council.
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