ABPP Clinical Health Psychology study guide
ABPP Clinical Health Psychology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
ABPP board certification in Clinical Health Psychology is a specialty credential for licensed psychologists who want their expertise in the intersection of psychological and physical health formally recognized by their peers. Candidates are typically practicing health psychologists in medical centers, integrated primary care, rehabilitation, oncology, pain, or academic settings who already hold licensure and have substantial supervised experience in the specialty. The ABPP Clinical Health Psychology study guide has 9 sections and about 2,325 words.
01Foundations: Biopsychosocial Model, Mind-Body Relationships, and Scientific Bases
The biopsychosocial model (Engel) treats health and illness as products of interacting biological, psychological, and social systems rather than a single linear cause. Know the diathesis-stress framing (a vulnerability plus a stressor produces disorder), allostasis and allostatic load (cumulative physiologic wear from repeated adaptation), and the HPA axis and autonomic pathways through which stress becomes biology.
276 words, about 1 min02Health Behavior, Prevention, and Health Promotion
Know the major health behavior theories and when each applies: Health Belief Model (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, self-efficacy), Transtheoretical/Stages of Change (precontemplation through maintenance; processes of change and decisional balance), Theory of Planned Behavior (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control predicting intention), Social Cognitive Theory (reciprocal determinism, self-efficacy, observational learning), and the Ecological Model (intrapersonal through policy levels). Distinguish primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, and understand motivational interviewing as a collaborative, autonomy-supportive approach rather than persuasion.
268 words, about 1 min03Assessment and Measurement in Health Settings
Master psychometric fundamentals: reliability (internal consistency, test-retest, interrater) versus validity (content, construct, criterion-including sensitivity and specificity), standard error of measurement, and the difference between screening and diagnostic instruments. Know common health psychology measures by construct (e.g., PHQ-9 for depression severity, GAD-7 for anxiety, pain and disability inventories, sleep and fatigue scales, adherence self-report) without memorizing proprietary items.
261 words, about 1 min04Intervention and Treatment Across Health Conditions
Know the evidence base for psychological interventions in medical populations: CBT for chronic pain, insomnia (CBT-I as first-line), and depression; behavioral activation; mindfulness-based interventions; motivational interviewing for adherence; and relaxation/biofeedback for physiologic arousal. Understand common mechanisms (cognitive reappraisal, exposure, behavioral reinforcement, self-efficacy) and the difference between curative, rehabilitative, and palliative goals.
239 words, about 1 min05Psychosocial and Behavioral Aspects of Chronic Illness and Medical Rehabilitation
Understand chronic illness as a trajectory involving adjustment, identity change, uncertainty, and grief, and know models such as the common-sense/self-regulation model (illness representations: identity, cause, timeline, consequences, controllability) and stage/trajectory frameworks. Know constructs like health locus of control, illness intrusiveness, stigma, coping (problem- vs.
266 words, about 1 min06Consultation, Collaboration, and Interprofessional Practice in Medical Settings
Understand the consultant's role: answering a specific referral question, providing a focused assessment, and communicating recommendations that the medical team can act on. Know models of integrated care (coordinated, co-located, fully integrated) and the difference between consultation-liaison and primary care behavioral health.
251 words, about 1 min07Diversity, Culture, and Health Disparities
Know the distinction between race (social construct), ethnicity, and ancestry, and how structural determinants-income, housing, insurance, neighborhood, discrimination-produce health disparities. Understand cultural formulation (e.g., explanatory models, idioms of distress, cultural syndromes), the role of medical mistrust rooted in historical abuses, and language access (use of qualified interpreters, not family members).
255 words, about 1 min08Ethics, Professional Standards, and Legal Issues
Master informed consent (capacity, voluntariness, disclosure, comprehension), confidentiality and its limits (danger to self/others, abuse reporting, court orders), and HIPAA basics including minimum necessary and permitted disclosures. Understand competence boundaries and scope of practice, multiple relationships, and the ethics of assessment (using valid instruments, avoiding misuse).
247 words, about 1 min09Professional Practice, Supervision, Teaching, and Program Development/Evaluation
Understand supervision models (developmental, competency-based, discrimination model) and the supervisor's dual responsibilities-gatekeeping the profession and supporting the supervisee. Know informed consent for supervision, evaluation methods (direct observation, recorded sessions, live supervision), and feedback practices.
262 words, about 1 min