Competencies for psychology practice in primary care

Susan H McDaniel; Catherine L Grus; Barbara A Cubic; Christopher L Hunter; Lisa K Kearney; Catherine C Schuman; Michele J Karel; Rodger S Kessler; Kevin T Larkin; Stephen McCutcheon; Benjamin F Miller; Justin Nash; Sara H Qualls; Kathryn Sanders Connolly; Terry Stancin; Annette L Stanton; Lynne A Sturm; Suzanne Bennett Johnson

doi:10.1037/a0036072

Competencies for psychology practice in primary care

Am Psychol. 2014 May-Jun;69(4):409-29. doi: 10.1037/a0036072.

Authors

Susan H McDaniel¹, Catherine L Grus², Barbara A Cubic³, Christopher L Hunter⁴, Lisa K Kearney⁵, Catherine C Schuman⁶, Michele J Karel⁷, Rodger S Kessler⁸, Kevin T Larkin⁹, Stephen McCutcheon¹⁰, Benjamin F Miller¹¹, Justin Nash¹², Sara H Qualls¹³, Kathryn Sanders Connolly¹⁴, Terry Stancin¹⁵, Annette L Stanton¹⁶, Lynne A Sturm¹⁷, Suzanne Bennett Johnson¹⁸

Affiliations

¹ Institute for the Family, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center.
² Education Directorate, American Psychological Association.
³ Department of Family Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School.
⁴ Patient-Centered Medical Home Branch, Clinical Support Division, Defense Health Agency.
⁵ Office of Mental Health Operations, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office.
⁶ Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.
⁷ Office of Mental Health Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office.
⁸ Department of Family Medicine, Vermont College of Medicine.
⁹ Department of Psychology, West Virginia University.
¹⁰ Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System.
¹¹ Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.
¹² Department of Family Medicine, Brown University.
¹³ Department of Psychology, University of Colorado.
¹⁴ Psychology Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System.
¹⁵ Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, MetroHealth Medical Center.
¹⁶ Department of Psychology, University of California.
¹⁷ Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine.
¹⁸ Department of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine.

PMID: 24820690
DOI: 10.1037/a0036072

Abstract

This article reports on the outcome of a presidential initiative of 2012 American Psychological Association President Suzanne Bennett Johnson to delineate competencies for primary care (PC) psychology in six broad domains: science, systems, professionalism, relationships, application, and education. Essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes are described for each PC psychology competency. Two behavioral examples are provided to illustrate each competency. Clinical vignettes demonstrate the competencies in action. Delineation of these competencies is intended to inform education, practice, and research in PC psychology and efforts to further develop team-based competencies in PC.

MeSH terms

Clinical Competence / standards*
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
Humans
Primary Health Care / standards*
Psychology, Clinical / standards*
Societies, Scientific / standards*