Competency-based education and training:: implications for accreditation of psychology programs

There has been an increasing interest in competency-based education, training and credentialing in professional psychology. The competencies-based movement gained momentum at the Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology, held in Arizona, on 2002. The current article includes the main findings derived from that conference. A multidimensional, developmental, and context-dependent conceptualisation of professional competence is proposed. Foundational and core competencies within professional psychology are presented: ethical and legal issues; individual and cultural diversity; scientific foundations and research; psychological assessment; intervention; consultation and interprofessional collaboration; supervision; professional development. Main competency-based approaches to training and assessment for education and credentialing purposes are examined.