Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: Part of the Oxford Library of Psychology series, this book sets out the key components of the education and training of professional psychologists, exploring the core competencies and detailing recommendations for the selection of graduate students and internship trainees.
Purpose: It focuses on doctoral and postdoctoral training for psychologists in the health services professions.
Audience: Although no target audience is specified, administrators and training directors will benefit from this book. Both editors have the requisite background and experience. W. Brad Johnson is a professor of psychology at the U.S. Naval Academy and faculty associate at Johns Hopkins University, and Nadine J. Kaslow, a professor at Emory University, is president-elect of the American Psychological Association and served as chair of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers from 1998-2002.
Features: The book begins with an overview of training in psychology, tracing its history back to the Boulder Model (scientist-practitioner model) in 1949, and noting that the Vail Conference in 1973 established the PsyD degree. The authors discuss the importance of trainee mentoring and supervision, as well as the core competencies of training. Part two, on specific training experiences, notes the importance of clear goals and objectives for practicum programs, shows how competencies are achieved, and provides competent supervision. Because internship training is the capstone of the academic program, the authors state that it should be well organized, although there are different structures. Postdoctoral training is usually the final experience before licensure and national standards have been developed. However, the authors points out the various challenges, including financial ones and the imbalance between supply and demand. The next part deals with trainee selection and development. There are several factors that academic programs consider for admission, including GRE scores, grade point average, personal essay, letters of recommendations, and curriculum vita. How a program weighs these factors depends on their training goals. Once accepted, students have to be evaluated periodically using objective measures. Mentoring is an important part of the process, as is supervision. There is an interesting discussion about helping trainees who have difficulties achieving the core competencies or who have disciplinary problems. The book also considers cultural issues such as gender, race, and sexual identity, showing how they are incorporated into training. The book ends with a discussion of technology-based training and the competencies and characteristics of program leaders who are developed predominantly by on-the-job training. The book is easy to read with numerous tables/figures that help clarify the text and case examples which drive home the critical points. Chapters are organized uniformly, into abstract, key words, text, conclusion, notes, and references.
Assessment: This is an excellent, comprehensive book on the training of professional psychologists. It explores training models, core competencies, mentorship, and evaluation methods, is written by experts in the field, and provides practical case examples. It should be in the libraries of administrators and program directors.
"Johnson and Kaslow are noted scholars with a multitude of contributions to professional psychology, and once again they have enhanced the field with The Oxford Handbook of Education and Training in Professional Psychology. This volume brings together similarly recognized scholars and commentators in the training and education community to provide foundational and advanced information for all involved in professional development. This is truly a tour de force in competency-based education for professional psychology. A more comprehensive work likely cannot be envisioned; this handbook presents wide-ranging coverage on the essential elements of the evidence-based field of practice, research, education, and professionalism. The preparation of the next generation of professionals in health service psychology will benefit from this invaluable resource."-Michael C. Roberts, Ph.D., ABPP, Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas
"This Handbook will do double-duty as both an essential policy and practice resource for psychology supervisors and educators and an important starting point for graduate students and others who are beginning to explore this as an area of scholarship. It reflects Johnson and Kaslow's extensive knowledge professional psychology's education and training terrain, which is evident in the choices they made about material to cover as well in the level of expertise of the people they enlisted as authors."-Rodney K. Goodyear, Ph.D., Visiting Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Houston"This book presents in comprehensive form, the processes and practices on how professional psychologists are educated and trained for their profession in the United States. This is an excellent, useful and valuable book on education and training for those interested in becoming professional psychologists or for those who want to learn about the current state of education and training in psychology." -Sonu Chandiram, Biz India"This is an excellent, comprehensive book on the training of professional psychologists. It explores training models, core competencies, mentorship, and evaluation methods, is written by experts in the field, and provides practical case examples. It should be in the libraries of administrators and program directors." Gary B Kaniuk, Doody's"The Oxford Handbook of Education and Training in Professional Psychology provides a useful and scholarly guide to education and training in psychology. It weaves together a wide range of current and relevant topics in psychology, from rigorous trainee selection through the effective use of telehealth to benefit more mental health consumers. We suggest that educators and mentors in psychology incorporate the ideas from this book into their practice, while simultaneously meeting the critical need for policy expertise by helping students become skilled leaders in public health policy. Only by embracing the call to engage in health policy can psychology thrive in this new era of ACA healthcare." PsycCRITIQUES