APA Guidelines for Practitioners

APA has not, to date, developed clinical treatment guidelines. APA has developed criteria for evaluating treatment guidelines developed by other groups and organizations. Clinical treatment guidelines differ from practice guidelines in that clinical treatment guidelines contain specific recommendations about treatments and practices to be offered to patients. APA has decided to develop a process for creation of APA clinical treatment guidelines and currently is requesting nominations for individuals to serve on an Advisory Steering Committee.

APA has approved a variety of practice guidelines and related criteria as APA policy in such areas as multicultural practice, child custody evaluations, and treatment of gay, lesbian and bisexual clients. These guidelines are intended to educate practitioners and provide recommendations about professional conduct. As such, they are useful tools for psychologists in practice to develop and maintain competencies and/or learn about new practice areas.

• Record Keeping Guidelines (PDF, 83KB)

  • The APA Record Keeping Guidelines (RKG) have been revised to take into account changes in practice such as electronic record keeping as well as legislative and regulatory requirements including HIPAA. The new RKG provide guidance in such areas as preserving the context of records, organization and level of detail, and retention time and records disposal.

  • Applying the APA Record Keeping Guidelines in Clinical Practice (Flash)

• Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings (PDF, 64KB)

  • These guidelines address what are commonly termed “child custody” evaluations, involving disputes over decision-making, caretaking and access in the wake of marital or other relationship dissolution.

• Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women (PDF, 248KB)

  • These guidelines enhance psychological practice with women and girls from all social, ethnic and racial groups, sexual orientations and ability/disability status in the United States. These guidelines provide general recommendations for psychologists to increase awareness, knowledge and skills in psychological practice with women and girls.

• Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults (PDF, 184KB)

  • In recent years, professional psychology practice with older adults has been increasing, due both demographic trends and changes in the marketplace and health service delivery settings. These guidelines inform psychological practice with older adults.

• Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists (PDF, 370KB)

  • These guidelines provide psychologists with information and strategies for multicultural psychological practice.

• Practice Guidelines Regarding Psychologists’ Involvement in Pharmacological Issues (PDF, 176KB)

  • The guidelines provide a resource on optimal psychological practice in pharmacotherapy. They also provide information for psychologists with any level of involvement with their patient’s psychotropic and other medication issues.

• Guidelines for Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters (PDF, 923KB)

  • Under review and/or revision.

• Guidelines on Hospital Privileges: Credentialing and Bylaws

  • Under review and/or revision

• Guidelines for the Evaluation of Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Decline (PDF, 622KB)

  • Under review and/or revision

• Practice Parameters: Screening And Diagnosis of Autism

  • Under review and/or revision

• Guidelines for Test User Qualifications

  • Under review and/or revision

•  Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Clients (PDF, 1.5MB)

  •  Under review and/or revision

•  Criteria for Practice Guideline Development and Evaluation

  •  A guide for the development and evalution of proposed and existing guidelines to promote quality and consistency in practice guidelines.

• Determination and Documentation of the Need for Practice Guidelines

  • Helpful addition to the Criteria document and provides information on how to document and demonstrate the need for practice guidelines

• Practice Guidelines Criteria Checklist

•  Criteria for Evaluating Treatment Guidelines

  • Includes a set of criteria to be used in evaluationing treatment guidelines. Created by a working group of the Board of Professional Affairs.

• Treatment Guidelines Criteria Checklist

  • The checklist identifies the elements that the APA expects to find in a well-researched and well-written set of treatment guidelines

• Criteria for the Evaluation of Quality Improvement Programs and the Use of Quality Improvement Data

• Evidence Based Practice in Psychology

Guidelines adopted as Association policy usually expire within ten (10) years of adoption. Review and revision of guidelines set to expire routinely occurs within two years of expiration or when new laws and other developments require earlier review and revision. For further information on these and other guidelines, please contact: Governance Operations, APA Practice Directorate by e-mail or call (202) 336-5881.