Professional Regulatory Boards
Under the Commission are the forty-six (46) Professional Regulatory Boards which exercise administrative, quasi-legislative, and quasi-judicial powers over their respective professions. The 46 PRBs (Board of Psychology is one of them) which were created by separate enabling laws, perform these functions subject to review and approval by the Commission:
- Prepare the contents of licensure examinations. Determine, prescribe, and revise the course requirements
- Recommend measures necessary for advancement in their fields
- Visit / inspect schools and establishments for feedback
- Adopt and enforce a Code of ethics for the practice of their respective professions
- Administer oaths and issue Certificate of Registration
- Investigate violations of set professional standards and adjudicate administrative and other cases against erring registrants
- Suspend, revoke, or reissue Certificate of Registration for causes provided by law
BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY
THE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology — the study of behavior and mental processes, involves the application of scientific methods to inquire into the biological, cognitive, affective, developmental, personality, social, cultural, and individual difference dimensions of human behavior. It is an extremely broad discipline with wide reach and great impact to society and humanity.
Cutting across the biosocial sphere of human functioning, Psychologists study the intersection of two critical relationships: brain function and behavior, and the environment and behavior. As scientists, psychologists follow rigorous scientific methods, using standardized tools and procedures for observation, experimentation and analysis… and apply scientific findings in ethically responsible and creative ways.
THE PRACTICE OF PSYCHOLOGY
The state recognizes the multifarious specializations and functions of psychologists along with the crucial significance of the psychological services they provide to a multi-diverse population; thus, the regulation of the profession to protect the various publics who avail of their services.
Republic Act 10029 was enacted into law to regulate the practice of Psychology in the Philippines. Under the law, Practice of Psychology is defined as the delivery of psychological services that involve the application of psychological principles and procedures for the purpose of describing, understanding, predicting and influencing the behavior of individuals or groups, to assist in the attainment of optimal human growth and functioning.
The delivery of psychological services includes, but is not limited to:
(1) Psychological Interventions: psychological counseling; psychotherapy; psychosocial support; life coaching; psychological debriefing; group processes; and all other psychological interventions that involve the application of psychological principles and methods to improve the psychological functioning of individuals; families; groups; and organizations;
(2) Psychological Assessment: gathering and integration of psychology-related data for the purpose of (a) making a psychological evaluation accomplished through a variety of tools including individual tests, projective tests, clinical interviews and other psychological assessment tools, (b) assessing diverse psychological functions including cognitive abilities, aptitudes, personality characteristics, attitudes, values, interests, emotions and motivations, among others, in support of psychological counseling, psychotherapy and other psychological interventions;
(3) Psychological Programs: development, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of psychological treatment programs and other psychological intervention programs for individuals and/or groups.
The term “other psychological interventions” shall be deemed to include:
(a) preventive and therapeutic measures like play and expressive arts therapy, music therapy and trauma healing; as well as correctional, rehabilitative and behavioral modification measures;
(b) consultation, that is, providing extensive knowledge, specialized technical assistance and expertise in an advisory capacity to consultees in regard to mental and behavioral concerns, emotional distress, personality disorders and other neuropsychological dysfunctions.
“Psychological evaluation” shall include the making of diagnostic interpretations; reports; and recommendations, as part of a case study, or in support of diagnostic screening; placement; management/administrative decisions; psychiatric evaluation; legal action; psychological counseling, psychotherapy and change intervention
“Assessing diverse psychological functions” shall include the development, standardization and publication of psychological tests which measure adjustment and psychopathology; and/or the creation of assessment tools primarily for psycho-diagnostic purposes.
The term “other psychological intervention programs” shall include:
(a) addiction rehabilitation and treatment programs; behavioral management and intervention programs in correctional facilities; psychological training programs which involve inner processing; and mental health programs in disaster and emergency situations, either for individuals and/or communities;
(b) clinical supervision: the direction, guidance, mentoring, and cliniquing of psychology practitioners and interns; psychometricians and other trainees for psychology-related work to meet the standards of quality and excellence in professional practice.
The practice of psychology in the Philippines covers such areas as clinical psychology, counseling psychology, assessment psychology; social psychology; developmental psychology, cognitive psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. There is no distinction made in the legislation or in the regulation between Psychologists across these specialties at this point. Within these areas a Psychologist may work with a variety of individual client populations such as children, adolescents, or adults, or may focus their attention on families, couples or organizations. But the ethics of the profession dictates that no psychologist should cross over areas he/she is not equipped to handle, thus the certification in various specialty areas. All professional psychologists, however, regardless of specialty must have knowledge and skills respecting interpersonal relationships, assessment and evaluation, intervention and consultation, understanding and applying research to professional practice and knowing and applying professional ethics, standards and relevant legislation to professional practice.
Licensure is on two levels: for those with at least a Master’s Degree in Psychology who can be called a Psychologist; and those with at least a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology who can work under the supervision of a psychologist, called a psychometrician.
PSYCHOLOGIST
A Psychologist as defined by law, is a natural person who is duly registered and holds a valid Certificate of Registration and a valid Professional Identification Card as Professional Psychologist, issued by the Professional Regulatory Board of Psychology (PRBP) and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) pursuant to Section 3(c), Article III, of R.A. No. 10029, for the purpose of delivering the different psychological services defined under the IRR.
PSYCHOMETRICIAN
A Psychometrician is a natural person who has been registered and issued a valid Certificate of Registration and a valid Professional Identification Card as psychometrician by the PRBP and the PRC in accordance with Sec. 3 (d), Article III of R.A. No. 10029, and is authorized to do any of the following activities; Provided, that these activities shall at all times be conducted under the supervision of a licensed professional psychologist: (1) administering and scoring objective personality tests, structured personality tests, excluding projective tests and other higher level forms of psychological tests; (2) interpreting the results of these tests and preparing a written report on these results; and (3) conducting preparatory intake interviews of clients for psychological intervention sessions.
All the assessment reports prepared and done by the psychometrician, shall always bear the signature of the supervising psychologist who shall take full responsibility for the integrity of the report.
Clientele can include those with psychological and emotional difficulties, academic and behavioral difficulties, victims of abuse and calamities; those needing psychological evaluation for work purposes, marital nullification, child custody, carrying of firearms; those in organizations that need to improve human relations and behavior among personnel; and many others.
Psychologists work in a range of settings including schools, hospitals, industry, social service agencies, rehabilitation facilities and correctional facilities, or go into private practice. Regardless, they must be competent in formulating and communicating a psychological diagnosis.
