Who gets certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology and why: A diversity survey.

OBJECTIVE

To measure the profile of diversity among specialists certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

METHOD: A survey of ABPP specialists consisting of 18 demographic questions, and two questions regarding board certification and experience with diversity.

RESULTS

Although ABPP specialists appear to be more diverse in certain aspects, especially regarding sex/gender (female, 43% vs 34% in prior survey), the majority remain non-Hispanic, White in race/ethnicity (87%), followed by only 3% Black, and 3% Hispanic/Latinx representation. Recognition as a specialist, job requirement, and professional expectations were the top three reasons for board certification. The top three themes regarding specialists' experiences with diversity were (a) Need for active outreach and mentoring, (b) ABPP does a good job regarding diversity, and (c) Make it more affordable.

CONCLUSION

With the need for a competent and diverse workforce, ABPP will continue to conduct this survey to determine the progress that has been made in increasing the diversity of certified specialists.