Section 2.01 (Boundaries of Competence) of APA’s Ethics Code mandates that “psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience.” Each specialty has defined the type and minimum number of education and training experiences needed in order to develop the advanced specialty-specific competencies required of independent practice. Each individual psychologist is responsible for determining if their education and training experiences meets the minimum criteria established by the specialty as necessary for competent practice within that specialty. Licensing boards are responsible for adjudicating complaints related to scope of practice issues, including whether psychologists have the education and training required of competent practice in a specialty area.
A recognized specialty is defined as an area of psychological practice that requires advanced knowledge and skills acquired through an organized sequence of education and training. Thus, by definition, psychologists must obtain advanced and specialized training in order to practice in a specialty.
Each individual psychologist is responsible for limiting their practice to areas within the boundaries of their competence. Competent practice within a recognized specialty requires distinct and advanced knowledge and applied professional skills. Advanced knowledge and skills are developed through an organized sequence of education and training experiences. Each specialty has established the type and minimum number of education and training experiences needed in order to develop the advanced specialty-specific competencies required of competent practice. Each individual psychologist is responsible for determining if their education and training meets the minimum criteria established by the specialty as necessary for competent practice within that specialty.
APA’s Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology (CRSPPP) reviews petitions from organizations requesting that APA formally recognize a new specialty in professional psychology. A recognized specialty is defined as an area of psychological practice that requires advanced knowledge and skills acquired through an organized sequence of education and training.
There are two recognition bodies for specialties—APA and American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). Specialty areas that are recognized by ABPP are available for Board Certification by licensed psychologists. Please refer to the hyperlinks below for a list and descriptions of the currently recognized specialties in professional psychology.
A recognized specialty is defined as an area of psychological practice that requires advanced knowledge and skills acquired through an organized sequence of education and training.
A recognized subspecialty is defined as a concentrated area of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that exists within at least one recognized specialty, requires specified education, training, and/or professional experiences, and involves specific problems, populations, and/or circumscribed approaches.
A recognized proficiency is a circumscribed activity in the general practice of professional psychology or one or more of its specialties that is represented by a distinct procedure, technique, or applied skill set used in psychological assessment, treatment, and/or intervention within which one develops competence.
Specialization begins at the doctoral level, continues throughout internship, and typically culminates in the completion of formal postdoctoral training in the specialty area. Pathways to re-specialization exist but vary by specialty and depend on the prior education and training experiences of each individual psychologist.
Each recognized specialty has outlined the number of courses and specific content required to competently practice within that specialty. Each specialty has also outlined the amount and type of supervised clinical training required to competently practice within that specialty.
Psychologists can review the specialty’s education and training guidelines and consult with APA division leadership in the specialty and/or the specialty’s representative to the Council of Specialties to determine if and what pathways to specialization may exist. This may include taking coursework and/or completing further supervised clinical training in the specialty area. After gaining the advanced competencies to practice in the specialty area via completion of the necessary coursework and clinical training, psychologists should seek recognition as a specialist via recognized board certification.
Competent practice in a specialty area requires advanced knowledge and skills, in addition to the broad and general professional psychology competencies required of all practicing psychologists. Each recognized specialty has outlined the minimum education and training experiences required to competently practice within that specialty. Though advanced education and training alone do not indicate competency, they are necessary in order to attain competencies in a specialty area.
Competent practice in a specialty area requires advanced knowledge and skills, in addition to the broad and general professional psychology competencies required of all practicing psychologists. Advanced specialty-specific competencies are typically developed via doctoral coursework and clinical practica, internship, and postdoctoral training.
Each recognized specialty has outlined the number of courses and specific content required to competently practice within that specialty. Each specialty has also outlined the amount and type of supervised clinical training required to competently practice within that specialty.
Psychologists can review the specialty’s education and training guidelines and consult with APA division leadership and/or the specialty’s representative to the Council of Specialties to determine if and what pathways to specialization may exist. This may include taking coursework and/or completing further supervised clinical training in the specialty area. After gaining the advanced competencies to practice in the specialty area via completion of the necessary coursework and clinical training, psychologists should seek recognition as a specialist via recognized board certification.
The terms that psychologists can legally and ethically use to describe themselves are set by the jurisdictions in which they maintain their license to practice. The majority of jurisdictions provide a license to practice as a “clinical psychologist.” Thus, it may not be appropriate for psychologists in such jurisdictions to call themselves a specialist (e.g., “rehabilitation specialist”; “neuropsychologist”) as these would be inconsistent with the licensing terminology. However, in such a situation, depending on the psychologist’s education, training, and competencies it may be appropriate to state that they are a “clinical psychologist” with expertise in a recognized specialty area (e.g., rehabilitation psychology; clinical neuropsychology).