Application of the competency model to clinical health psychology.

Abstract

In response to the growing emphasis on defining professional competence within applied psychology (e.g.,clinical, neuropsychology, counseling, school), in 2007 American Psychological Association Division 38(Health Psychology) sponsored a summit meeting with a specific focus on revisiting the standards of graduatecurricula and training in clinical health psychology. Using the cube model of core competency domains ofprofessional psychology as a framework, summit participants were charged with identifying the foundationaland functional competencies expected of a well-trained, entry-level clinical health psychologist. As a productof these discussions, the present article is presented as an initial effort to identify the competencies and beginthe discussion in clinical health psychology. As such it is likely to be of interest to a wide audience, includingclinical training programs with an existing or planned emphasis in clinical health psychology, practitionersinterested in acquiring the competencies required to practice as a clinical health psychologist, and studentsevaluating potential graduate and postgraduate training options in clinical health psychology.Keywords: clinical, health psychology, competencyC