Continuing education in psychology: Outcomes, evaluations, and mandates.

Abstract

How effective is continuing education (CE) for maintaining professional competencies, how should its effects be measured, and should it be mandated for licensure renewal? These and other questions were addressed in a review of the existing literature and a survey of 6,095 professional psychologists regarding their CE experiences, perceptions, and preferences. The substantial majority of respondents reported their CE experiences to be good to excellent. Overall, they reported learning a great deal that frequently translated into their practices and contributed to their more effective and ethical practice. Most also supported the idea of mandated CE, although they preferred the use of participant satisfaction ratings to knowledge or skills assessments as mechanisms for evaluating their learning. Significant differences were found between psychologists who were operating with CE mandates and those operating without mandates; mandated psychologists completed significantly more CE credits than nonmandated psychologists and were stronger supporters of CE mandates. Findings are discussed in relation to critical issues that confront the field of professional psychology and its continuing commitment to the development and documentation of professional competencies.

Quebec psychologists and continuing education.

“…This mirrors the general positive attitude and important placed on continuing education in this field (Neimeyer et al, 2009;Sharkin & Plageman, 2003). Additionally, the vast majority of participants "somewhat" to "strongly" agreed that they are putting the necessary amount of time and money into their continuing education activities (see Table 1).…”

Do continuing education mandates matter? An exploratory study of the relationship between CE regulations and disciplinary actions.

“…The discrepancy between what psychologists are required to complete, and what they actually complete, is a substantial one, as reflected in the wide range (zero to more than 100 CE credits; M = 22) and the sizable standard deviation (SD = 15.35) associated with annual CE participation (Neimeyer et al, 2009). To study the effects of CE participation on disciplinary actions, we would need to have access to the number of CE credits that participants actually completed.…”

Do mandates matter? The impact of continuing education mandates on participation in continuing professional development activities.

“…Because the comparison occurred within a group of psychologists sharing a common licensing jurisdiction, this study offered the potential to address potential confounds associated with earlier betweensubjects comparisons. The higher levels of CE participation associated with CE-mandating jurisdictions in earlier research (Neimeyer, Taylor, & Philip, 2010;Neimeyer et al, 2009) could have been the result of a number of jurisdictional differences, as noted in that research. Jurisdictions with, and without, CE mandates may differ in relation to a wide range of other factors, including the availability of CE programs, the percentage of psychologists who are members of their state associations, and the rigor associated with their regulatory boards or sanctions.…”

“…This has prompted researchers to speculate that formal CE mandates may actually contribute to a "culture of competence" that enhances, rather than detracts, from other types and sources of leaming (Neimeyer et al, 2009). And this, in tum, may underscore the value of instilling lifelong leaming attitudes early in the course of professional training to encourage an ongoing commitment to continuing professional development (see Hojat et al, 2012).…”

“…Detractors argue, for example, that mandating CE may trade the known disadvantages associated with these mandates (primarily cost, regulatory administration, and inconvenience) for its unknown advantages, given the indeterminate outcomes associated with CE in psychology at this time (Neimeyer, Taylor, & Wear, 2009;Webb & Horn, 2012;Wise et al, 2010). In addition, part of the concem also focuses on whether the increases in the completion of formal CE that might accompany CE mandates would come at the expense of a range of informal professional development activities, such as reading books and joumals, attending conferences, or consulting colleagues.…”