ABPP Rehabilitation Psychology

ABPP specialty board examinations are oral examinations conducted by board-certified specialists in the field, not multiple-choice knowledge tests. You should expect to discuss your practice samples or credentials and to answer applied clinical questions in a face-to-face or virtual format. Confirm the current format and any materials you must submit with ABPP and the specialty board before applying.

We do not publish a duration or item count, because the source material available to us does not state them. Oral specialty examinations are typically organized around a schedule of interview segments rather than a fixed number of items. Check the specialty board's current candidate materials for the authoritative timing and structure.

Passing standards and fees are set by ABPP and the specialty board and are not stated in the source material we used, so we do not quote figures here. Fees may differ for initial application, examination, and maintenance of certification. Verify current amounts and any payment deadlines directly with ABPP's central office.

ABPP does have provisions for re-examination, but the specific conditions, waiting periods, and any additional fees are not stated in the source we relied on. Candidates are usually advised on next steps in writing after a failed attempt. Confirm the current retake policy with the specialty board before you plan a second attempt.

ABPP maintains a Maintenance of Certification program, which means the credential is not simply valid forever without activity. The specific cycle length and requirements are not stated in our source. Review the current MOC requirements on ABPP's site and build them into your plans from the start rather than after certification.

The most common failure mode is not lack of knowledge but inability to reason aloud. Candidates who recite facts without integrating them into a case, who cannot justify an assessment choice, or who become defensive when challenged tend to struggle. Weakness in ethics, disability law, or interprofessional consultation also surfaces frequently because candidates underprepare those domains relative to assessment and intervention.

Start with foundations, because the other domains depend on a coherent model of disability and adjustment. Then move to assessment and intervention, which are the largest applied areas, and finish with consultation and ethics and legal issues. Ethics and law are often left too late; schedule them early enough to revisit, since they appear throughout the oral examination rather than in one isolated segment.

You need working knowledge, not memorization of manuals: what an instrument measures, its norms and limits in neurological, sensory, or medically complex populations, and when it is inappropriate. Examiners probe whether you can defend a choice and interpret a score in context. Know a core set well rather than many instruments superficially.

Prepare by working through realistic dilemmas: capacity and consent, confidentiality within team-based care, mandated reporting, and accommodation documentation. Practice articulating the competing principles and the concrete steps you would take. Abstract recitation of ethical codes is less persuasive than a clear, sequenced plan that names the stakeholders and the limits of your role.

No. This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Requirements, fees, and policies change, so treat everything here as preparation guidance only and confirm all official details directly with ABPP and the Rehabilitation Psychology specialty board.