How much continuing education (CE) do professional psychologists complete each year, and how do they perceive it as affecting their competencies and practices? In a national survey, 1,146 licensed psychologists reported on their patterns of CE participation and their perceived outcomes in relation to those experiences. Overall, psychologists reported highly favorable perceptions of their CE experiences and outcomes, both in relation to the amount that they learned and the translation of that learning into more effective practice. Significant differences were found between psychologists from CE-mandating and nonmandating states, however, in relation to the format of the CE they participated in (e.g., on-site, online) and, especially, in relation to their levels of CE participation. Overall, nonmandated psychologists reported completing one-third fewer CE credits per year and were less supportive of CE mandates, as well. These and other results are discussed in relation to the developing empirical literatures on CE and professional competencies in psychology.

Nearly every state licensure board requires psychologists to engage in continuing education (CE) for license renewal as a mechanism for ensuring ongoing learning and continuing professional competence. But what instructional methods promote the greatest learning, how do actual practices match those Editor's Note. Lavita Nadkarni served as the action editor for this article. JENNIFER M. TAYLOR received her PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Florida. She is an assistant professor of counseling psychology and counseling at the University of Utah. She served as the 2017 chair of the American Psychological Association's Continuing Education Committee (CEC) and the chair of the CEC Research Subcommittee. Her research interests include professional competence, continuing professional development, mentoring, continuing education, and lifelong learning.GREG J. NEIMEYER received his PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Notre Dame. He is an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Florida. A fellow of the American Psychological Association, he has served as director of training and graduate coordinator in the Department of Psychology and was inducted as a lifetime member of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars. His research interests include the study of professional competence and lifelong learning. He currently serves as the associate executive director of continuing education in psychology at the American Psychological Association.JEFFREY S. BEDWELL received his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia. He is currently an associate professor in the Psy-chology Department at the University of Central Florida. His areas of professional interest include better understanding the etiology and underlying biological mechanisms of transdiagnostic symptoms such as anhedonia and constricted affect, and translating this knowledge into more effective treatments. He also has interest in assessing and improving the quality of continuing education for psychologists.MARK M. LEACH earned his PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Oklahoma. He is currently a professor and department chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Development at the University of Louisville. His research interests include ethics, forgiveness, and the roles of religion and spirituality on mental health. BRUCE S. LIESE received his MA in psychology from Columbia University and his PhD from the University at Albany (SUNY Albany). He is a professor of family medicine and psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center, courtesy professor of psychology, and clinical director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at the University of Kansas. His primary research interests include (a) the conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment of behavioral and chemical addictions; (b) cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating complex problems; and (c) education, supervision, and training in psychology. In addition to teaching and conducting research, he pract...

The area of optimal functioning was introduced into modern scientific psychology by Marie Jahoda. Those contributing most heavily to the area or optimal functioning were originally humanistic psychologists, who see optimal functioning as qualitatively different from normality or lack of pathology. More recently, the mantle of optimal functioning has been taken up by those in the fields of positive psychology and athletic performance.

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