ABPP Counseling Psychology cheat sheet

Counseling psychology emphasizes strengths-based, developmental, and contextual approaches across the lifespan, with attention to person–environment fit and prevention.

APA (2023) defines counseling psychology as a specialty that facilitates personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span with a focus on emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental, and organizational concerns.

The Boulder (scientist-practitioner) model remains the dominant training framework; Vail (practitioner-scholar) and clinical-scientist models are alternatives.

Vocational psychology is a core tradition: Holland's RIASEC typology and Super's life-span, life-space theory are foundational career frameworks.

Multicultural counseling competencies (Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992) comprise awareness of own biases, knowledge of client worldview, and culturally appropriate intervention strategies.

Social justice and advocacy are competencies: the ACA Advocacy Competencies (Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2002) span client/student, community, and public arenas.

Evidence-based practice in psychology (APA, 2006) integrates best available research, clinical expertise, and client characteristics, culture, and preferences.

Group work stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning (Tuckman, 1965); group leadership requires attention to cohesion, norms, and process.

Prevention science distinguishes universal, selective, and indicated prevention (Institute of Medicine, 1994), paralleling the public health model.

APA Ethical Principles (2017): Beneficence and Nonmaleficence, Fidelity and Responsibility, Integrity, Justice, Respect for People's Rights and Dignity.

Ethical Standards (APA, 2017) are enforceable rules; the Principles are aspirational ideals. When standards conflict, the most protective course for client welfare governs.

Informed consent requires competence, voluntariness, and adequate information about procedures, risks, benefits, alternatives, and limits of confidentiality.

Confidentiality limits: danger to self or others, abuse reporting (child/elder/dependent adult), court order, and client waiver; Tarasoff duty-to-protect varies by jurisdiction.

Multiple relationships are not automatically unethical; risk increases when the relationship could impair objectivity or exploit the client (APA Standard 3.05).

Boundary crossings are often benign and context-dependent; boundary violations are harmful and typically exploit or harm the client.

HIPAA (1996) governs protected health information for covered entities; APA ethics and state law may impose stricter requirements.

Ethical decision-making models (e.g., Kitchener's critical-evaluative model; Stone's 10-step model) include identifying the problem, consulting codes, considering principles, consulting, and evaluating outcomes.

Record keeping: APA Standard 6.01 requires maintaining records and retaining them per law and institutional policy; forensic records may require longer retention.