Australian Psychological Society

Australian Psychological Society

APS logo
Formation	1966
Headquarters	Level 11, 257 Collins Street Melbourne, Australia
Membership	27,000
CEO	Zena Burgess
President	Tamara Cavenett
Website	psychology.org.au

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is one of the professional associations for psychologists in Australia. The APS has more than 27,000 members, making it the largest professional body representing psychologists in Australia.^[1] The Society's Code of Ethics was adopted in 2007^[2] and became the Code of Ethics for the profession in Australia in 2010 when it was taken up by the newly-formed^[3] Psychology Board of Australia.^[4][5] The APS also provides members with recommendations of appropriate fees to charge for their professional services.^[6]

Membership

Eligibility for full membership (MAPS) of the APS is complicated (see the website for details). In most cases, full, general registration as a psychologist with AHPRA - Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - will ensure eligibility.^[7]

Other levels of membership are available, such as associate membership (Assoc. MAPS), for psychologists with provisional registration with AHPRA. Undergraduate students studying any APAC accredited psychology units are eligible to become APS student subscribers. This subscription is dependent on continuing study in psychology.

Around 60% of all state registered psychologists are APS members, and student subscribers represent 12% of members. Of this, the gender breakdown by members is 74% female and 26% male.^[8]

Ethics

All Australian psychologists are bound by the APS Code of Ethics. ‘The Code’ was adopted by the registering authority, The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA), in 2010. The PsyBA works together with AHPRA to register psychologists. In Australia, the term ‘psychologist’ is protected and only those registered with AHPRA may use it. Registration with any other professional body, such as the APS, is optional.

Presidents

The following have been Presidents of the Society.^[9]

Conferences

The APS organises a number conferences every year:

In 2015, the APS is running the following conferences:

• [1] 2nd College of Counselling Psychologists College Conference in Melbourne (26 February – 1 March)
• [2] APS Neurofeedback & Psychology Interest Group in Coolangatta (14–15 March)
• [3] College of Health Psychologists Conference in Sydney (10–11 April)
• [4] College of Forensic Psychologists Conference in Sydney (16–18 April)
• [5] College of Clinical Psychologists College in Adelaide (26–28 June)
• [6] 11th Industrial and Organisational Psychology Conference in Melbourne (2–4 July) is
• [7] Conference of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists in Port Stephens (19–21 November)
• [8] 50th APS Annual Conference in Gold Coast] (28 September – 2 October
• [9] APS Regional and Remote Showcase in Tamworth, NSW (30 Sept – 3 Oct)

Events

The APS also promotes and facilitates psychology-related events , which can be found on the APS Events Calendar, which includes an indicator of individual events’ CPD loading for professional psychologists.

The APS also regularly attends a number of national conferences as a participant.

Journals

The APS publishes three journals with John Wiley & Sons :^[10] Australian Journal of Psychology (1.035, ISSN 1742-9536),^[11] Australian Psychologist (0.724, ISSN 1742-9536)^[12] and Clinical Psychologist (0.967, ISSN 1742-9552).^[13]

Education and training

The APS has nine colleges, these are in the areas of neuropsychology, forensic, community, health, clinical, counselling, educational and developmental, organisational and sport and exercise psychology.

In 2009, the APS developed a new 5th year postgraduate diploma in professional practice. This training model has been introduced via the "5+1" pathway as a transitional alternative to the "4+2" system that has been in place for many years as a basic standard for registration as a psychologist in Australia. This is reflective of the ultimate goal of the APS to set the minimum requirement of registration at the master's degree level. The new 5+1 pathway incorporates a five-year university sequence in psychology training, followed by one year accredited workplace supervision.^[14]

As of 2010, the Psychology Board of Australia became the sole agency responsible for the registration of psychologists across Australia.^[3] The Board adopted the APS Code of Ethics^[2] for all members of the profession.^[4][5]

See also

• American Psychological Association
• Australian Counselling Association
• Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia
• Psychologists Board of Queensland

References

External links

• Australian Psychological Society website
• Australian Association of Psychologists website
• Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) website
• Psychology Board of Australia website
• Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA) website

0.00 (0 votes)