Competence in professional psychology practice in Ghana: Qualitative insights from practicing clinical health psychologists

Issues concerning competence of practicing psychologists have not been critically investigated in Ghana. This study used the three-dimensional cube model of core competencies as a framework to explore competencies of professional psychologists in active clinical health practice in Ghana. Sixteen clinical psychologists with 1 to 20 years of practicing experience were interviewed on adequacy of their graduate training for practice as well as maintaining post-training competence. The results suggested that training equipped the practitioners mainly for research and teaching but less so for clinical practice. Reflective practice was underdeveloped leading to critical challenges in emotional and cultural competencies. Structural support for continuous professional development was limited. Implications for professional psychology training, research and practice are discussed. This study is the first to explore competence issues in professional psychology practice in Ghana, and it contributes to the global discourse on continuous competence in psychology.

Social Media Guidelines Within University-Based Professional Psychology Training Programs: Ethical Challenges and Professional Considerations With Graduate Students

Social media is regularly used by a growing number of graduate students and licensed psychologists. This expands opportunities for professional growth and development for many, though it also brings forward a growing number of ethical challenges as personal and professional lives transform, blur, and merge online. This study examined social media policies of 46 American Psychological Association-accredited university-based professional psychology doctoral programs in clinical psychology to better understand the ethical challenges and protections that doctoral programs can implement to protect graduate students, faculty, and the public. Findings indicated that many university-based doctoral programs in clinical psychology do not have clear social media policies. Results and implications of the findings and how they relate to doctoral education will be discussed during this article.