Psychology Divisions
November 29, 2005 - 11:28am — Martin Ivancic
Any plans for ACBS becoming part of APA.
There are 55 divisions now. What's one more?
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I am a rank newbie here
I am a rank newbie here (just opened an account today) but I have been thinking of joining ACBS. If it became part of APA I would promptly discard any notion of doing so, since I resigned my APA membership 28 years ago and have never had occasion to reconsider that action. In my admittedly unhumble opinion, the APA is one of the chief problems with the state of psychology as a profession today.
New
ACBS is not just psychology; not just US.
Doesn't fit. Besides the APA politics are brutal
(I'll show you the scars later)
Steven C. Hayes, University of Nevada
Psychology Divisions
I have scars as well from my state psychology licensing board and sympathize. I'm not suggesting it would be a good idea to participate in APA politics. (Having 55 divisions for a discipline suggests an organization with its own problems). I'm only saying that it should not surprise anyone to have legislation written into the psychology practice act for a given state that subsumes ACT under the psychology license, thus requiring anyone who practices it to be a licensed psychologist (in that state). Applied behavior analysis wasn't just psychology or practiced strictly in the US either but these laws were written.
Martin Ivancic
Limitations of practice
Couldn't find anything in any of the code I searched about limiting practice of certain therapies to certain mental health professions.
Could you let me know what you are talking about with behavior analyis?
I am working towards a degree and licensure as an MFT, and this discussion seems to imply some sort of limitation I am not aware of, or can't find verification of. Any clarification would be appreciated.
Greg Rogers
Nova Southeastern University
ACT for only? licensed psychologists
Martin,
Do you or anyone else know of a state where laws indicate that a certain form of therapy can only be practiced by certain professions? I've never heard of this happening.
I understand that behavior analysis has, in some states, been subsumed under psychology, but aren't we talking a different bird here? In that case, were talking about not recognizing a specialty as a separate license. This seems different from saying that only psychologists can use a particular technology. I've never heard of a state restricting certain therapy approaches to certain licensed mental health professional groups. I've heard of states saying that no one can do a particular therapy (e.g., rebirthing therapy or Thought Field Therapy). Do you know of such a case? If so, I'd be interested in hearing about it.
Peace.
Scope of practice
Yes, I know.
But the only solution to that in the case of behavior analysis is either to liberalize the definition of applied psychology (I busted my rear on that for a decade inside APA only to have the guild interests wiggle out of it) OR to do what Florida and California etc did.
Steven C. Hayes, University of Nevada
!
Aiiee!--I hope not. I think that would entangle us in all of APA's bureaucracy--which is anything but "open source."
Psychology Divisions
I underdstand what you are saying about the APA bureaucracy. However, in many states including my state of North Carolina applied behavior analysis has been legislatively subsumed under the psychology "practice act" requiring a psychology license to practice applied behavior analysis. (Of course, ethically one must have competence in an area to practice, but for some that may be little more than a workshop). Florida countered with a certification to identify what a level of competence would be for good practice and some other states are now doing this as well. It appears that as soon as a therapeutic method appears to have worth, there will be efforts to regulate it for the purpose of insuring competency but, more likely, for the advantage of excluding those without crediential. Just suggesting being on guard.
Psychological Divisions
You're right these laws don't identify specific procedures. They are written to encompass more than that. For example, below is how North Carolina defines practice in their law. I imagine you could do anything these procedures and if you did not present yourself as a psychologist or consider any principles you were applying to be psychological, you would be OK, but this is certainly not the way the law is written.
#8 "Practice of psychology. -- The observation, description,
evaluation, interpretation, or modification of human behavior by
the application of psychological principles, methods, and
procedures for the purpose of preventing or eliminating
symptomatic, maladaptive, or undesired behavior or of
enhancing interpersonal relationships, work and life adjustment,
personal effectiveness, behavioral health, or mental health. The
practice of psychology includes, but is not limited to:
psychological testing and the evaluation or assessment of
personal characteristics such as intelligence, personality,
abilities, interests, aptitudes, and neuropsychological
functioning; counseling, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy,
hypnosis, biofeedback, and behavior analysis and therapy;
diagnosis, including etiology and prognosis, and treatment of
mental and emotional disorder or disability, alcoholism and
substance abuse, disorders of habit or conduct, as well as of the
psychological and neuropsychological aspects of physical
illness, accident, injury, or disability; and psychoeducational
evaluation,, therapy, remediation, and consultation.
Psychological services may be rendered to individuals, families,
groups, and the public. The practice of psychology shall be
construed within the meaning of this definition without regard
to whether payment is received for services rendered.
(9) Psychologist. -- A person represents himself or herself to be
a psychologist if that person uses any title or description of
services incorporating the words “psychology”,
“psychological”, “psychologic”, or “psychologist”, states that
he or she possesses expert qualification in any area of
psychology, or provides or offers to provide services defined
as the practice of psychology in this Article. All persons
licensed under this Article may present themselves as
psychologists, as may those persons who are exempt by
G.S. 90-270.4 and those who are qualified applicants under
G.S. 90-270.5."
Florida MFT definition
Perhaps you are mistaking the mention of something under the definition of one profession as limiting it's use to that profession?
My intention is not to engage in battle here, but to clarify my own knowledge of what I am getting in to. If there are certain theories, therapies or approaches that I will not be allowed to use with this type of licensure, I would want to change what I am doing.
As a 45 year old returning to school, my reasons for being in MFT are primarily centered on enjoying the freedom to spend time studying what I want to study (i.e ACT & RFT) rather than being rigidly structured into a rigorous program that contains multiple elements that do not, in my humble opinion, serve a 'functional' purpose. The hunger for 'functional' knowledge has become more pressing for me in my old age.
Of course the dysfunctional truth is that my sordid undergraduate history 22 years ago created a GPA influenced more by drugs than intellect. Unfortunately there is evidently no escaping the resulting statistic, which accurately describes my performance then, but not my potential now.
ACT says "What is that in service of?" The Zen master claps his hands and says, "How can I help you?" I have been saying, "How can I apply that in working with people?"
Here is the Florida MFT description, which does not appear particularly limiting, and does use the word 'psychological':
(8) The "practice of marriage and family therapy" is defined as the use of scientific and applied marriage and family theories, methods, and procedures for the purpose of describing, evaluating, and modifying marital, family, and individual behavior, within the context of marital and family systems, including the context of marital formation and dissolution, and is based on marriage and family systems theory, marriage and family development, human development, normal and abnormal behavior, psychopathology, human sexuality, psychotherapeutic and marriage and family therapy theories and techniques. The practice of marriage and family therapy includes methods of a psychological nature used to evaluate, assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent emotional and mental disorders or dysfunctions (whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral), sexual dysfunction, behavioral disorders, alcoholism, and substance abuse. The practice of marriage and family therapy includes, but is not limited to, marriage and family therapy, psychotherapy, including behavioral family therapy, hypnotherapy, and sex therapy. The practice of marriage and family therapy also includes counseling, behavior modification, consultation, client-centered advocacy, crisis intervention, and the provision of needed information and education to clients, when using methods of a psychological nature to evaluate, assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent emotional and mental disorders and dysfunctions (whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral), sexual dysfunction, behavioral disorders, alcoholism, or substance abuse. The practice of marriage and family therapy may also include clinical research into more effective psychotherapeutic modalities for the treatment and prevention of such conditions.
Licensure
Greg,
I'm no expert on licensure, but if you are in an organization that defines the use of behavior analysis (MFT) you are probably OK. It is when you are using a technique and it begins to look like you are the agent that others license that will get you get into trouble. Florida fixed this by certifying behavior analysts. Now, that certification is offered nationally. Bottomline: don't practice outside your area of competence and if what you do looks like a profession or your job requires professional credentials, then get credentialled. That's true for any profession inclusing psychology even if the therapist is licensed. Personally, I'd rather see the focus of activitiy on whether or not the techniques being used work and that this can be verified. Behavior analytic methodology has always been very good at doing this.
Martin