Clinical health psychology: A health care specialty in professional psychology.

Abstract

Clinical health psychology is a specialty recognized by both the American Board of Professional Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Clinical health psychology focuses on psychological and behavioral components of illness and health and promotes the understanding of psychology as a health profession. In this article the author reviews its definition, provides a brief overview of practice in the specialty, addresses its relevance for practitioners, and notes sample resources for further study.

Specialization in Psychology and Health Care Reform

“…Board certification also eases interjurisdictional license and practice mobility (Cox, 2010;Graham & Kim, 2011;Hall & Lunt, 2005;Nezu et al, 2009) and the attainment of board certification increasingly will count toward continuing professional development requirements across jurisdictions (Webb & Horn, in press). Consistent with the fact that ABPP is designed to support a competency-based approach to specialization and board certification (Kaslow & Ingram, 2009), board certification processes create specific standards that articulate competence (Belar, 2008;Boake, 2008;Cox, Hess, Hibbard, Layman, & Stewart, 2010;Dowd, Clen, & Arnold, 2010;Flanagan & Miller, 2010;France et al, 2008;Jackson, Alberts, & Roberts, 2010;Molinari, 2011;Packer, 2008;Tharinger, Pryzwansky, & Miller, 2008;Thomas, 2010), inform the development of uniform training models for competence (Boake, 2008;Packer, 2008), and certify intra-professional regulation within specialized areas. The increased breadth and depth of knowledge, abilities, and attitudes of board certified practitioners is an additional benefit to the profession as a whole.…”

Enhancing preparation among entry-level clinical health psychologists: Recommendations for “best practices” from the first meeting of the Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs (CCHPTP).

“…Will these entry-level clinical health psychologists have defining characteristics? Clinical health psychology is now a sufficiently broad practice area that no one clinical health psychologist, at any level of training or experience, could be proficient with all types of problems addressed, patients served, or settings and situations encountered (Belar, 2008). Therefore, to some extent entry-level clinical health psychologists will take on the specific characteristics of their particular areas of expertise and training.…”

“…In 1997 clinical health psychology became a recognized specialty as determined by the Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology (CRSPPP). Belar (2008) noted that psychology may be experiencing a figure-ground reversal with regard to mental disorders. That is, rather than being a primary focus, mental disorders are becoming only one set (albeit an important one) of health problems addressed by practicing psychologists.…”

Specialized training in APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs: Findings from a review of program websites.

“…If any mention of training in a specialized area was found, we coded information about the area and the extent to which training required specialized coursework, practicum, dissertation, and internship experiences. Psychologists within many specialized areas have described or proposed training models for programs in their areas (Belar, 1980(Belar, , 1997(Belar, , 2008Bersoff et al, 1997;Hannay et al, 1998;Hartlage & Long, 1997;La Greca & Hughes, 1999;Poythress, 1979;Roberts & Sobel, 1999;Roberts et al, 1998;Spirito et al, 2003;Tulkin & Stock, 2004). Although these models differ in many aspects, most address issues related to the role of several basic training components, such as coursework, practica, and research.…”