18 research outputs found
The Development of a Code for Australian Psychologists
Section 35(1)(c) of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act (200929. Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act of 2009. (Queensland). View all references) requires the newly formed Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) “to develop or approve standards, codes and guidelines.” In 2010 the PsyBA decided to initially adopt the Australian Psychological Society\u27s (APS) Code of Ethics (200711. Australian Psychological Society . 2007 . Code of ethics , Melbourne, , Australia : Author . View all references) and develop a new code in the future with the involvement of key stakeholders without deciding what the nature of this code will be. The PsyBA now has to decide exactly how it will proceed in future. My aim in this article is to examine the options available to the PsyBA by exploring the definition and function of codes; presenting a history of the APS Code; and considering approaches that had been followed in Europe, Israel, New Zealand, and South Africa
The Training Institutions of Black African Clinical Psychologists Registered with the HPCSA in 2006
Who gets certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology and why: A diversity survey
Obstacles to the Utilisation of Psychological Resources in a South African Township Community
Attitudes and beliefs regarding the utilisation of psychological resources were explored among a
group of black Africans of 18 years and older. Both males and females participated in focus groups
that were conducted at Itsoseng Clinic on the Mamelodi Campus of the University of Pretoria.
Discussion questions addressed participants’ perceptions of psychologists and psychotherapy,
barriers to seeking treatment and recommendations for improved service delivery. The focus group
responses indicated that reasons for seeking treatment included HIV&AIDS, problems related to the
participants’ socioeconomic situation, relationship issues and educational problems (learning problems,
career guidance and educational stress among tertiary learners). Key barriers to service
utilisation included the stigma of mental illness, lack of knowledge, affordability of treatment, lack of
trust, impersonal service and lack of cultural sensitivity. Participants discussed the issue of the
psychologist’s race, as they felt that many white psychologists lack sensitivity toward and knowledge
of black communities. Participants further stated that black psychologists were not much better due
to the acculturation that occurs during the training of black psychologists. Recommendations for more
culturally sensitive services are suggested. The implications of these findings for the practice and
profession of psychology are also examined