Assessment of Competence The Ultimate Frontier for Improving Professional Competence

Martha Dennis Christiansen, Leader Michael C. Roberts, Recorder Kathi Borden, Steering Committee Representative WORKGROUP MEMBERS Cynthia Belar, Lorraine Breault, Henry Edwards, Laura Hernandez Guzman, Robert Klepac, Shane Lopez, Asher Pacht, Lynn Rehm, I. Leon Smith, D. Gant Ward.

“To focus on the assessment of competencies across domains, and to generate an effective plan or set of plans by which to assess the attainment of overall competence in professional psychology.” WORKGROUP CHARGE

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE 1. A developmental perspective underlies all assessment of competencies.

2. Multicultural considerations are required at all levels of competence assessment. There is a need to attend to both the cultural aspects of competence assessment as well as assessment of cultural competence. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

3. The minimum level of competence needs to be defined for the “threshold” of basic competence to function professionally as well as the aspirational levels of advanced competence. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

4. Assessment of competence should involve a combination of compensatory and non-compensatory models. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

5. Both formative assessment (e.g., while still in training and progressing through program or for continual career improvement) and summative assessment (e.g., for licensure) are needed in professional psychology. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

6. Assessment of competence practices during training should model how professionals should continue assessment of competencies throughout one’s career. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

7.Assessment of competence should involve multivariate/multidimensional and multi-method input including multiple perspectives at all levels of professional development. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

8.Assessment of competence will require a “culture shift” in trainers, trainees, and professionals. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

9. Competency based evaluation should include measurable indicators of behaviors, skills, and attitudes/values. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

10. Skills assessment needs to be done in an integrative approach not just a set of competencies singly assessed. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

11. Skill is best evaluated by a sampling of behaviors (e.g., through direct evaluation / observation) through multiple perspectives including “experts,” peers, self, clients, community members. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE

“Information management and evaluation of the nature and quality of information” needs to be added to the “Big 8” content areas of competence. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Knowledge is more easily assessed, but more attention should be given by the psychology profession to developing appropriate assessment of attitudes and values as well as skills. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Personal suitability or fitness to the profession should be considered as a new content area of competence (some elements are trainable and others are more inherent, e.g., interpersonal skills and relationship building). FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

“Professional values” and attitudes need to be better articulated and clarified by the profession in order to assist in the assessment process of competence. Once clarified into tangible language, assessment tools will need to be developed for evaluating competencies at all levels. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

The culture shift to more institutionalized assessment of competence needs to be infused throughout all aspects of professional psychology. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Assessment “tools” (devices and procedures) must be developed that meet current and evolving standards of validity, reliability, and fairness with consistency across tools, e.g., improvement of supervisor evaluation methods and a cost- efficient methodology for assessment through simulation. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional research attention needs to be given to “self-assessment” as a continual and developmental process. Funding will be needed to develop and standardize effective assessment tools.

A new conference on competency-based assessment could be developed by the training councils and coordinated with the Education Directorate. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The training councils (specifically the multiple graduate training councils and APPIC) could work together to develop better formative and summative assessment models and specific procedures. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The Education Directorate/Executive Director could include “assessment of competence” as a topic for further work in the Educational Leadership Conference.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The training councils could be invited to join in publishing a new journal (perhaps electronic/web-based) devoted to issues of professional training, including assessment of competence.

Produce a “best practices” or “promising practices” book (or website) which includes published tools and procedures for competencies assessment within training programs at different levels. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A special issue of the journal, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, could be published on the topic of Assessment of Competence in Professional Psychology.

Improved understanding and methodology of assessment of competencies will increase accountability: to ourselves as professionals; to our students and supervisees; to our professional institutions; to our public and communities. IN CONCLUSION