ON PSYCHOLOGICAL IDENTITY AND TRAINING - BOULDER IS BETTER FOR REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY

This article addresses issues of training in applied psychology, gener ally, and rehabilitation psychology, specifically. The long-term succe ss and growth of rehabilitation psychology will depend, in part, on ho w the field answers the following questions: How do rehabilitation psy chologists define their area of competence? How is this competence to be achieved? A review of recent literature suggests that rehabilitatio n psychology has yet to resolve fully the fundamental issues of a youn g subspecialty: identity, training, and long-term direction. We mainta in that the scientist-practitioner model should continue to be the fra mework for training future rehabilitation psychologists. Furthermore, subspecialty and cross-discipline training should be completed followi ng core training in an appropriate specialty of psychology (i.e., coun seling or clinical).