Evolution of Psychology as a Profession

Year	Event
HIGHLIGHTS OF PSYCHOLOGY'S EVOLUTION AS A PROFESSION


1896	Professor Lightner Witmer and students at University Of Pennsylvania use psychological laboratory as a Clinic to study learning problems of children
Early 1900's	Numerous applications of psychology to school and work problems as well as to mental status and functioning were pioneered during this period in university laboratory and applied settings
1917	American Association of Clinical Psychologists was formed at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association (APA)
WW I	Applications of psychology gain attention in support of national defense, especially in areas of intelligence, aptitude, and other forms of mental testing
1918	APA sponsors symposium on "The Future of Pure and Applied Psychology"
1919	Certification proposed but not approved within APA to clarify for the public differences between areas of applied psychology Walter Dill Scott elected APA President following distinguished contributions to the war effort through development of personnel occupational and assignment classification system for the Army
1921	Psychological Corporation created by James McKeen Catell, launching psychology in psychological test development and publishing industry
1937	American Association of Applied Psychology (AAAP) formed apart from APA to represent interests of applied psychologists
WW II	Applications of psychology flourish in support of national military and civil defense
1945	State of Connecticut became first state to have a statute for professional licensing of psychologists
1946	AAAP was dissolved; new APA bylaws recognized science and practice as part of APA mission, including in its structure a Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) and a Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA)
1947	Through initiative of the APA, the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology (ABEPP) … later to be renamed American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) … was founded apart from APA to certify competence of psychologists in recognized areas of professional practice (e.g., Clinical Psychology) Initial areas of psychology recognized for ABEPP diplomate examination and specialty board certification were Clinical, Counseling & Guidance, and Industrial Psychology
1948	APA accreditation of professional education and training was initiated with doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology, prompted by needs of the Veteran's Administration and Public Health Service to assess quality of such programs for the investment of public funds in clinical training of psychologists
1949	APA discussed licensing/certification issues with the Conference of State Psychological Associations APA established Committee on Intra-Professional Relationships in Psychology to examine relationships between training, licensure, and diplomate requirements for different psychology practice fields APA sponsored Boulder Conference on Graduate Education in Clinical Psychology, emphasizing the need for science training as a foundation for Clinical Psychology, referred to as the "Scientist-Professional" model
1951	Conference on Doctoral Education and Training in Counseling Psychology was held in Evanston
1953	Scope of APA accreditation was extended to include doctoral programs in Counseling Psychology
1954	Thayer Conference on Functions, Qualifications, and Training of School Psychologists
1955	Joint report on licensure policies was issued by APAand Conference of State Psychological Associations
1956	First APA accreditation of pre-doctoral internshiptraining programs in professional psychology
1958	National Conference on Graduate Education and Training in Psychology was held in Miami
1960	Ontario became the first Canadian jurisdiction to pass a law for the professional licensing of psychologists
1961	American Association of State Psychology Boards (AASPB) was founded
1962	Initial committee on licensure examination procedures was formed by AASPB
1963	APA established a committee on the scientific and professional aims of psychology, one recommendation from which was that there be a two-track graduate educational system, one for research (PhD degree) and another for professional practice (PsyD degree)
1964	First Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) was released by ASPPB for use by state licensing boards Greystone Conference was held on Professional Preparation of Counseling Psychologists
1965	The Couchihing Conference on Professional Psychology was held in Canada
1966	National Conference on Professional Preparation of Clinical Psychologists was held in Chicago
1967	ABPP diplomate examination and specialty board certification process was extended to the area of School Psychology APA approved a model bill for state legislation affecting the practice of psychology
1968	First Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) professional degree program in Clinical Psychology was established in the Department of Psychology at The University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign (with first degree awarded in 1971) Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and InternshipCenters (APPIC) was founded
1971	Scope of accreditation was extended to include doctoral programs in School Psychology
1972	Menninger Conference on Postdoctoral Education in Clinical Psychology was held in Topeka
1973	APA sponsored Vail Conference on Professional Education and Training in Psychology, at which PsyD degree was endorsed for professional practice
1974	Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (National Register) was established, with support of ABPP and APA Boards of Directors First university-based professional school of psychology to award PsyD degree was established at Rutgers University
1976	National Council of Schools (and Programs)of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) was founded to serve as a national forum for discussion of issues in professional education and training At the request of ASPPB and National register, the APA convened a series of meetings to address issues of education and credentialing in professional psychology from which evolved agreement on a core curriculum for professional education and training in psychology
1977	APA approved (generic) Standards for Providers of Psychological Services State of Missouri became the final state to have a statute for professional licensing of psychologists Vancouver Conference on the Organization and Representation of Professional Psychology was held in Canada
1979	Upon recommendation of its Board of Professional Affairs (BPA)and Board of Directors (B/D), the APA Council of Representatives (C/R)authorized the Task Force on Specialty Criteria (TFSC)
1980	BPA appointed the Subcommittee on Specialization (SOS) to develop mechanisms to implement TFSC recommendations on a specialty and proficiency recognition process APA approved Specialty Guidelines for Delivery of Services in Clinical, Counseling, School, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology Spring Hill Symposium was held on the Future of Psychology in the Schools
1981	Olympia Conference on School Psychology was held Conference on The Education of Professional Psychologists was held in Virginia Beach sponsored by the Virginia Consortium of Professional Psychology and NCSPP ASPPB sponsored first job analysis of the psychology profession, contracted through Education Testing Service, as part of its validation of licensing examination content (results reported in 1983)
1983	ABPP diplomate examination and specialty board certification process was extended to the area of Clinical Neuropsychology Arden House Conference was held on Education and Training in Health Psychology
1984	APA Board of Directors authorized Education and Training Board to appoint task force to review scope and criteria for accreditation
1985	APA Council of Representatives held extended (contentious) discussion of BPA/SOS recommendations, but did not approve their proposed specialty and proficiency recognition procedures ABPP diplomate examination and specialty board certification process was extended to the area of Forensic Psychology Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (Canadian Register) was established with approval of the federal Ministry of Consumer and Corporate Affairs Hilton Head Conference was held on Training Clinical Child Psychologists
1986	APA Council of Representatives approved in principle the expansion of accreditation scope to include programs in new emergent areas of professional psychology, and authorized the Committee on Accreditation to develop procedures for such Mission Bay Conference on Standards and Evaluation in Professional Education and Training in Psychology
1987	Gainesville Conference was held on Internship Training in Professional Psychology sponsored by APPIC Conference on Planning for the Future of Counseling Psychology was held in Atlanta National Conference on Graduate Education and Training in Psychology was held in Utah
1988	Joint Council on Professional Education in Psychology (JCPEP) was formed, bringing together leaders from practitioner divisions of APA and professional education and training groups to discuss professional education and training issues, in an effort to advocate for a coherent policy that will serve the interests of students, educators, practitioners, regulatory bodies, and consumers of psychological services
1989	ABPP diplomate examination and specialty board certification process was extended to the area of Family Psychology Task Force on Scope and Criteria for Accreditation recommended to Council of Representatives new models of accreditation process and methods for specialty recognition (drawing from prior work of BPA/SOS) Memorandum of Understanding between Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and APA was revised to include recognition of procedures for concurrent accreditation of professional education and training programs in either country by the CPA Accreditation Panel and APA Committee on Accreditation
1990	JCPEP recommended that APA establish a formal process for specialty and proficiency recognition based on a taxonomy and set of criteria ABPP adopted criteria for specialty recognition proposed earlier by BPA/SOS, as more areas of practice seek recognition as new specialties for diplomate examination and specialty board certification Prince Edward Island becomes the last Canadian jurisdiction to pass a law for the professional licensing of psychologists Gainesville Conference on Scientist-Practitioner Education and Training for the Professional Practice of Psychology
1991	APA and external organizations of graduate and professional education and training communities approve a new model for the composition of and appointments to the Committee on Accreditation (CoA), with appropriate representation of educators, practitioners, students, and the general public ABPP-sponsored Conference on Accreditation of Postdoctoral Programs in Professional Psychology
1992	The Inter-organizational Council on Postdoctoral Accreditation (IOC) was formed with representatives from APA (including CoA as a liaison), APPIC, ABPP, ASPPB, National Register, Canadian Register, and ABPP-recognized specialty board communities Ann Arbor Conference on Postdoctoral Training in Professional Psychology was sponsored by APPIC with support of APA, ABPP, ASPPB, and National Register ABPP diplomate examination and specialty board certification process was extended to the areas of Health Psychology and Behavioral Psychology On recommendation of APA Board of Educational Affairs and Board of Professional Affairs/Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice, the APA Board of Directors appointed the Joint Interim Committee on Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Psychology (JIC)to develop once again a de jure process by which APA might recognize specialties and proficiencies in professional psychology CPA/APA Memorandum of Understanding was updated to include consultation and cooperation on professional issues related to licensing and accreditation ASPPB sponsored a practice analysis study of Professional psychologists through contract with the Professional Examination Service (PES) (results reported in 1996)
1994	APA established the College of Professional Psychology (CPP) to provide certification services to professional psychologists who demonstrate competence in practice proficiencies APA Council of Representatives approved the criteria and procedures for specialty and proficiency recognition recommended by JIC, and established the Commission on Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology (CRSPPP) to implement the same and be responsible for making public the specialties and proficiencies of professional psychology recognized by the APA through this process In establishing CRSPPP, APA Council of Representatives also approved another recommendation from JIC that there be an inter-organizational forum to review the impact of the APA specialty and proficiency recognition process on the profession and the public, such forum named the Recognition, Accreditation, and Credentialing Roundtable (RACR). Following its first meeting, the forum was renamed the International Council on Recognition, Accreditation, and Credentialing (ICRAC), to include Canadian as well as U.S. representation, subsequently renamed the Council of Credentialing Organizations in Professional Psychology (CCOPP) ASPPB sponsored the First International Congress on the Licensing, Certification, and Credentialing of Psychologists, held in New Orleans, LA
1995	Following extensive public review, the newly organized CoA adopted and implemented new (generic) guidelinesfor the accreditation of doctoral and internship programs in professional psychology and expanded the scope of accreditation to include postdoctoral programs in professional psychology ABPP extended diplomate examination and specialty board certification process to the area of Psychoanalysis IOC completes its work in coordination with CoA in developing (generic) guidelines and procedures for accreditation of postdoctoral programs in professional psychology, drawing from recommendations of the Ann Arbor Conference and the CoA's new guidelines for doctoral and internship program accreditation IOC sunset itself and recommended the formation of (recognized) specialty councils to include representation of educators, credentialing bodies, and certified practitioners of each recognized specialty, and a Council of Specialties (CoS) with representation from each specialty council to serve as a forum for the discussion of common and distinctive issues of education, training, and credentialing among professional psychology specialties
1997	Following an appropriate period of public review, the CoA adopted and implemented new (generic)guidelines for the accreditation of postdoctoral education and training programs in professional psychology CoS held its initial meeting, with representation of the specialties recognized either through ABPP or APA and invited (liaison) representation from the CoA to discuss procedures for accrediting postdoctoral programs with specialty in addition to generic advanced training guidelines and standards Clinical Neuropsychology formed a specialty council (synarchy) with representation from APA Division 40, the ABPP Board of Examiners in Clinical Neuropsychology, the Academy of (ABPP Board Certified) Clinical Neuropsychologists, and the Council of Postdoctoral Training Directors in Clinical Neuropsychology ABPP Executive Board voted to suspend its specialty recognition process, deferring for the time being to the APA specialty recognition process (operated through CRSPPP), thus limiting its functions to those of specialty board certification in professional psychology APA and APPIC co-sponsored, with support of ASPPB, a national conference on the topic "Supply and Demand: Education, Training and Employment Issues in Professional Psychology."
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