Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Board Members of the Board of Psychology at PRC

(Updated 20 September 2014)



Board of Psychology

Board Composition

The Professional Regulatory Board of Psychology is a collegial body under the administrative control and supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). It is composed of a chairperson, and two (2) members appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of three (3) nominees for each position recommended by the Commission.

Members of the Board

Chairman

MIRIAM P. CUE
Chairman

Member

IMELDA VIRGINIA G. VILLAR
Member






ALEXA P. ABRENICA 
Member

Qualification of Board Members

The Chairperson and Members of the Board shall, at the time of their appointment and for the course of their term, possess the following qualifications:
  1. A natural born citizen and resident of the Philippines;
  2. At least thirty-five (35) years of age;
  3. Possess good moral character;
  4. Hold a doctorate degree in psychology conferred by a university, college or school in the Philippines or abroad duly recognized and/or accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);
  5. Have at least ten (10) years of practice in psychology and psychometrics in a duly recognized institution, clinic or center, as well as at least five(5) years of teaching experience in the field of psychology;
  6. Be a registered and licensed psychologist, except in the case of the first members of the Board who shall automatically be conferred a valid certificate of registration and a valid professional identification card in psychology and psychometrics upon appointment to the Board;
  7. Is neither an officer, trustee nor member of the faculty of any university, college, institute or school where a regular course in psychology is offered or taught or review classes conducted and shall not have any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any such institution;
  8. Is not an officer, nor hold any position other than being a member of the integrated and accredited national organization of psychologist; and
  9. Shall not have been convicted by final judgment of any crime involving moral turpitude. The members of the Board shall have a term of office of three (3) years or until their successors shall have been duly qualified and appointed. Each member of the Board may be reappointed for one (1) full term of three (3) years. The first members of the Board shall hold office for the following terms: the Chairperson for three (3) years; one (1) member for two (2) years; and the other member for one (1) year, which shall be specified in their respective appointments. Any vacancy occurring within the term of a member shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term only. Each member of the Board shall qualify by taking the proper oath prior to the performance of his/her duties.

The Board shall have the following powers and duties:
  1. Administer and Implement the provisions of R.A. No. 10029 and promulgate as well as revise or update, as necessary, rules and regulations, resolutions and guidelines hereto: Provided, that the policies, resolutions, rules and regulations issued or promulgated by the Board shall be subject to review and approval of the Commission.
  2. Supervise and monitor the registration, licensure and practice of psychologists and psychometricians in the Philippines;
  3. Administer oaths in connection with the administration of R.A. No. 10029;
  4. Issue, and upon compliance with due process requirements, suspend or revoke, and reinstate, the certificate of registration and professional identification card for psychologists and psychometricians;
  5. Adopt an official seal of the Board;
  6. Monitor the conditions and circumstances affecting the practice of psychology and psychometrics in the Philippines and adopt such measures as may be deemed lawful and proper for the enhancement and maintenance of high professional, ethical and technical standards of the profession;
  7. Issue permits to and exercise visitorial powers over agencies, institutions, associations, corporations and partnerships to verify that the person practicing psychology and psychometrics therein are psychologists and psychometricians with valid certificates of registration and valid professional identification cards, and that they possess the necessary accreditation, skills and/or facilities to competently carry out their functions;
  8. Assist the Commission in the formulation and implementation of the guidelines on continuing professional education for psychologists and psychometricians;
  9. Ensure, in coordination with the CHED, that all educational institutions offering the course/program of psychology strictly comply with the policies, standards and requirements prescribed by the CHED for such course/program, especially in the areas of administration, curriculum, faculty, library and facilities;
  10. Prepare, adopt, issue and amend, in consultation with the CHED, syllabi for the licensure examination subjects;
  11. Investigate and, when warranted, hear administrative cases involving violations of this Act, its implementing rules and regulations as hereinafter promulgated, and any applicable code of ethics and/or code of professional standards, warranting issuance of subpoena testificandum and subpoena ducestecum to secure the appearance of witnesses and the production of document in connection therewith; Provided, That the Board’s decision, resolution or orders rendered in administrative cases shall be subject to review only on appeal; and
  12. Perform such other functions and duties as may be lawfully delegated to it, or as it may deem necessary to carry out the objectives of R.A No. 10029
  13. The Board in the performance of the above-mentioned powers and duties shall seek the assistance of the offices, divisions, sections, and units of the Commission.

Source - http://prc.gov.ph/prb/default.aspx?id=45&content=267


Related news

Source - http://www.msuiit.edu.ph/news/news-detail.php?id=388

PNoy appoints Cue to regulatory board

Posted On: June 18, 2012
By Maria Theresa B. Panzo
Dr. Miriam
            P. Cue
Dr. Miriam P. Cue
President Benigno Aquino III recently appointed Dr. Miriam P. Cue, former Chairperson of the Department of Psychology, as one of the first members of the Professional Regulatory Board of Psychology for a term of two years.

Dr. Cue holds four certificates in Clinical Psychology, Assessment Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP). Cue has been a long-time consultant in organizational-related problems for non-government organizations, private mental and drug rehab institutions in Mindanao, and industries.

She was actively involved as one of the cluster heads in the psycho-social interventions for Sendong survivors in Iligan City which work was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Cue officially assumed office on May 22. Consequently, she has opted for an early retirement from active service in the Institute to comply with the provisions of laws that govern her appointment.

Monday, October 14, 2013

BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY of the Philippine Regulation Commission

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
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.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Mental health and older adults

Image source - http://www.pmha.org.ph/

As my way of joining the 3rd Annual World Mental Health Day Blog Party I am re-posting here information gathered from the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The theme for this year is Mental health and older adults.

My mom and dad belong to this category as older adults,  both are more than 60 years old or senior citizens. Their bodies are showing sign of old age, mom with her osteoporosis have tendency to hunch  her back, my dad eye sight is getting poorer. Although both are still active physically and not showing decline in their mental health except for some forgetfulness, mostly where they leave things  like eyeglass,tools, documents and other stuff.

Much of their time is consumed with daily household chores and farm work. I just hope that they have other activities to stimulate and exercise their mental faculties so that they will not deteriorate with their mental health. But I guess their active life and rigor of rural life would suffice for the lack of it. And with a close-knit family and several grandchildren that regularly visits them and make them happy they will not experience these mental ailments that are common in their age.

The source for the WHO post below  is - http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs381/en/


Mental health and older adults

Fact sheet N°381
September 2013

Key facts

  • Globally, the population is ageing rapidly. It is projected that the number of persons aged 60 or over is expected to more than triple by 2100.
  • Mental health and emotional well-being are as important in older age as at any other time of life.
  • Neuropsychiatric disorders among the older adults account for 6.6% of the total disability (DALYs) for this age group.1
  • Approximately 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder.1

Older adults, those aged 60 or above, make important contributions to society as family members, volunteers and as active participants in the workforce. While most have good mental health, many older adults are at risk of developing mental disorders, neurological disorders or substance use problems as well as physical illness or disability.

The problem

The world’s population is ageing rapidly. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's older adults is estimated to double from about 11% to 22%. In absolute terms, this is an expected increase from 605 million to 2 billion people over the age of 60. Older people face special physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognized.
Over 20% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder (excluding headache disorders) and 6.6% of all disability (disability adjusted life years-DALYs) among over 60s is attributed to neurological and mental disorders.The most common neuropsychiatric disorders in this age group are dementia and depression. Anxiety disorders affect 3.8% of the elderly population, substance use problems affect almost 1% and around a quarter of deaths from self-harm are among those aged 60 or above.1 Substance abuse problems among the elderly are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.
Mental health problems are under-identified by health-care professionals and older people themselves, and the stigma surrounding mental illness makes people reluctant to seek help.

Risk factors for mental health problems among the older adults

Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine the level of mental health of a person at any point of time. As well as the typical life stressors common to all people, many older adults lose their ability to live independently because of limited mobility, chronic pain, frailty or other mental or physical problems, and require some form of long-term care. In addition, older people are more likely to experience events such as bereavement, a drop in socioeconomic status with retirement, or a disability. All of these factors can result in isolation, loss of independence, loneliness and psychological distress in older people.
Mental health has an impact on physical health and vice versa. For example, older adults with physical health conditions such as heart disease have higher rates of depression than those who are medically well. Conversely, untreated depression in an older person with heart disease can negatively affect the outcome of the physical disease.
Older adults are also vulnerable to physical neglect and maltreatment. Elder maltreatment can lead not only to physical injuries; but also to serious, sometimes long-lasting psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety.

Dementia and depression among the elderly as public health issues

Dementia
Dementia is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities. It mainly affects older people, although it is not a normal part of ageing.
It is estimated that 35.6 million people worldwide are living with dementia. The total number of people with dementia is projected to almost double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050, with majority of sufferers living in low- and middle-income countries.
There are significant social and economic issues in terms of the direct costs of medical, social and informal care associated with dementia. Moreover, physical, emotional and economic pressures can cause great stress to families. Support is needed from the health, social, financial and legal systems for both people with dementia and their caregivers.
Depression
Depression can cause great suffering and leads to impaired functioning in daily life. Unipolar depression occurs in 7% of the general elderly population and it accounts for 1.6% of total disability (DALYs) among over 60 year olds.1 Depression is both under diagnosed and undertreated in primary care settings. Symptoms of depression in older adults are often overlooked and untreated because they coincide with other late life problems.
Older adults with depressive symptoms have poorer functioning compared to those with chronic medical conditions such as lung disease, hypertension or diabetes. Depression also increases the perception of poor health, the utilization of medical services and health care costs.

Treatment and care strategies

It is important to prepare health providers and societies to meet the specific needs of older populations, including:
  • training for health professionals in old-age care;
  • preventing and managing age-associated chronic diseases including mental, neurological and substance use disorders;
  • designing sustainable policies on long-term and palliative care; and
  • developing age-friendly services and settings.
Health promotion

Mental health of older adults can be improved through promoting active and healthy ageing. Mental health-specific health promotion for the older adults involves creating living conditions and environments that support wellbeing and allow people to lead healthy and integrated lifestyles. Promoting mental health depends largely on strategies which ensure the elderly have the necessary resources to meet their basic needs, such as:
  • providing security and freedom;
  • adequate housing through supportive housing policy;
  • social support for elderly populations and their caregivers;
  • health and social programmes targeted at vulnerable groups such as those who live alone, rural populations or who suffer from a chronic or relapsing mental or physical illness;
  • violence or older adults maltreatment prevention programmes; and
  • community development programmes.
Interventions

Prompt recognition and treatment of mental, neurological and substance use disorders in older adults is essential. Both psychosocial interventions and medicines are recommended.
There is no medication currently available to cure dementia but much can be done to support and improve the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers and families, such as:
  • early diagnosis, in order to promote early and optimal management;
  • optimizing physical and psychological health, including identifying and treating; accompanying physical illness, increasing physical and cognitive activity and optimizing well-being;
  • detecting and managing challenging behavioural and psychological symptoms;
  • providing information and long-term support to caregivers.
Mental health care in the community

Good general health and social care is important for promoting older people's health, preventing disease and managing chronic illnesses. Training all health providers in working with issues and disorders related to ageing is therefore important. Effective, community-level primary mental health care for older people is crucial. It is equally important to focus on the long-term care of older adults suffering from mental disorders, as well as to provide caregivers with education, training and support.
An appropriate and supportive legislative environment based on internationally accepted human rights standards is required to ensure the highest quality of services to people with mental illness and their caregivers.

WHO response


WHO’s programmes for active and healthy ageing have created a global framework for action at the country level.
WHO supports governments in the goal of strengthening and promoting mental health in older adults and to integrate the effective strategies into policies and plans.
WHO recognizes dementia as a public health priority. The WHO report "Dementia: a public health priority", published in 2012, aims to provide information and raise awareness about dementia. It also aims to strengthen public and private efforts to improve care and support for people with dementia and for their caregivers.
Dementia, along with depression and other priority mental disorders are included in the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). This programme aims to improve care for mental, neurological and substance use disorders through providing guidance and tools to develop health services in resource poor areas.


Source link - http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs381/en/

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

CHED Course Specification on Personality

CHED Course Specification on Personality
Refer to CHED Memorandum Order 38 Series of 2010 -
http://www.ched.gov.ph/chedwww/index.php/eng/content/download/1744/9056/file/CMO_38_s2010.pdf



If you are reviewing and planning to take the Psychometrician Licensure Exam the following course content on Theories of Personality are suggested for you not to miss per CHED Memo Order 38 Series of 2010:


Course Description

A survey of the major theories of personality and the theoretical and practical issues involved in the scientiffic study and understanding of personality formation and dynamics.


Course Content

1) The study of personality: theory and research

2) Psychoanalytic theory - Sigmund Freud                                                                  

3) Neopsychoanalytic theories
a) Carl Jung
b) Alfred Adler
c) Karen Horney
d) Henry Murray

4) Life-span theory - Erik Erikson

5) Trait theories
a) Gordon Allport
b) Raymond Cattell
c) Hans Eysenck

6) Humanistic theories
a) Abraham Maslow
b) Carl Rogers

7) Cognitive Theory - George Kelly

8) Behavioral Theory - B.F. Skinner

9) Social Learning Theory - Albert Bandura

Below are links of   references/textbook materials I am using. What are your reference materials/texbooks?

http://psychometricpinas.blogspot.com/2013/08/textbook-on-personality-by-limpingco.html

http://psychometricpinas.blogspot.com/2013/07/theories-of-personality-reference.html


Tuesday, October 8, 2013

CHED Course Specification on Psychological Assessment

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Course Specification on Psychological Assessment
Refer to CHED Memorandum Order 38 Series of 2010 -
http://www.ched.gov.ph/chedwww/index.php/eng/content/download/1744/9056/file/CMO_38_s2010.pdf




Course Description

Orientation into the rudiments of psychological testing. The principles, methods and uses of
psychological testing are tackled. Emphasis is placed on issues of item analysis, reliability, and 
validity in test construction. The administration, scoring, and interpretation of objective, cognitive,
and affective tests used in various applied fields of psychology, particularly the educational,
industrial, and government settings are covered. Ethical considerations as well as current trends and issues in psychological testing in the Philippines settings are discussed.


For those reviewing and planning to take the Psychometrician Licensure Exam the following course content should be covered as per CHED Memo Order 38 Series of 2010:

1) Statistical Foundations - Reliability, Validity

2) Test Construction - Item analysis, Norms                                                                     

3) Administration, scoring, and interpretation - Intelligence tests, aptitude tests, objective personality tests

4) Applications of psychological testing - educational setting, industrial setting, government setting

5) Ethics of psychological testing

The link below is a reference/textbook material I am using. What are your reference materials/texbooks?

Monday, October 7, 2013

CHED Course Specification on Abnormal Psychology

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Course Specification on Abnormal Psychology
Refer to this link for the CHED Memo Order 38 Series of 2010 -
http://www.ched.gov.ph/chedwww/index.php/eng/content/download/1744/9056/file/CMO_38_s2010.pdf



Course Description

An introduction to the nature, causes and possible interventions of psychological
disorders. The students are expected to be familiar with the nomenclature and
classifications of mental disorders, by the end of the course. Indigenous concepts
of abnormality and abnormal behavior will also be discussed. Ethical considerations
in abnormal psychology/clinical psychology are discussed.

For those reviewing and planning to take the Psychometrician Licensure Exam the following course content should be covered since these are CHED suggested course content:

1) Definitions of Normality and Abnormality

2) Some Abnormal Behaviors (including indigenous forms)                                                                    
a) Disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood or adolescence                                        
b) Cognitive Disorders                                                                                                                  
c) Substance-related Disorders                                                                                                        
d) Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders                                                                                
e) Mood Disorders                                                                                                                          
f) Anxiety Disorders                                                                                                                        
g) Dissociative Disorders                                                                                                                  
h) Personality Disorders

3) Diagnosis using DSM-IV TR (Axis I to V - with the recently published DSM 5 it would be good to familiarize on the updated version of this categories)

4) Alternative Approaches to Diagnosis (ICD-10)

5) Therapeutic Interventions and Related Issues

Check my blog posts here for reference/textbook materials. What are your reference materials/texbooks?


Friday, October 4, 2013

CHED Course Specification on Industrial Psychology

CHED Course Specification on Industrial Psychology
Refer to this link for the CHED Memo Order 38 Series of 2010
http://www.ched.gov.ph/chedwww/index.php/eng/content/download/1744/9056/file/CMO_38_s2010.pdf



Course Description

A course providing an overview of psychological concepts, theories and research findings for
effective human interactions and performance in the workplace. Topics include organizational structures and systems, organizational communication processes, leadership, motivation, conflict resolution, problem solving ad decision making, team dynamics, efforts in human resource development and management, and organizational change and development.

For those reviewing and planning to take the Psychometrician Licensure Exam the course content above that covers:
  • History and development of Industrial-Organizational Psychology (perhaps both West and Philippine context)
  • Organizational structures and systems
  • Team dynamics
  • Human resource development and management
  • Organizational change and development
should not be taken for granted since these are CHED suggested coverage or topics. Check my blog posts here for reference/textbook material. I have yet to see a Philippine textbook on this course. Do let me know if you know one.