The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (American Psychological Association Division 29) recognizes mental health disparities as directly attributable to lack of access to mental health care, an insufficiently diverse health care workforce, and need for linguistically and culturally competent care (SAMHSA, 2018). As an organization whose mission is to make the benefits of psychotherapy available to all, we reject methods and processes that serve to create or sustain barriers to enter the professional psychology workforce on the basis of race/ethnicity or linguistic biases. We recognize the Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) as a source of diversity constriction (Sharpless, 2019a; 2019b). We call for (1) planned obsolescence of the current examination, and (2) adherence by ASPPB to measure development guidelines for the evaluation of linguistically and culturally diverse peoples (International Test Commission, 2018) as they work towards creation of a new exam (colloquially referred to as “Part 2”). 

Further Reading:

Callahan, J. L., Bell, D. J., Davila, J., Johnson, S. L., Strauman, T. J., & Yee, C. M. (2020). The Enhanced Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology: A Viable Approach? American Psychologist, 75, 52-65. doi: 10.1037/amp0000586 

Callahan, J. L., Bell, D. J., Davila, J., Johnson, S. L., Strauman, T. J., & Yee, C. M. (in press). Inviting ASPPB to address systemic bias and racism: Reply to Turner, Hunsley, and Rodolfa. American Psychologist. doi: 10.1037/amp0000801 

International Test Commission. (2018). ITC Guidelines for the Large-Scale Assessment of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Populations. Lincoln, NE: BUROS Center for Testing. www.InTestCom.org/page/31 

Sharpless, B.A. (2019a). Are demographic variables associated with performance on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)?  The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 153(2),161-172. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2018.1504739

Sharpless, B. A. (2019b). Pass rates on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) according to demographic variables: A partial replication. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/tep0000301

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2018). Health Disparities. Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity

0

0

Be the 1st to vote.

Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy