APA Professional Practice Guidelines

APA has approved as policy a variety of professional practice guidelines and related criteria in areas such as multicultural practice; child custody evaluations; and treatment of gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients. These guidelines address psychological practice with particular populations (e.g., older adults) or in particular areas (e.g., parenting coordination) without focusing on specific disorders or treatments.

APA Guidelines for Practitioners

• APA Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings (PDF, 1MB)
  These guidelines aim to promote evidence-based and ethically-informed practice concerning child custody evaluations, involving disputes over decision making, parenting time, and access in the wake of relationship dissolution. The guidelines provide general recommendations for psychologists who seek to increase awareness, knowledge, and skills when performing child custody evaluations.
• APA Guidelines on Evidence-Based Psychological Practice in Health Care (PDF, 331KB)
  These guidelines aim to provide guidance on psychological intervention in health care, regardless of theoretical orientation, clinical presentation, or treatment setting. They seek to clarify and extend APA’s policy on evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) by articulating practical considerations and providing illustrative examples. These guidelines are foundational and may inform other APA policies, including professional practice and clinical practice guidelines.
• APA Professional Practice Guidelines for Operational Psychology (PDF, 834KB)
  These guidelines are intended to maintain and improve the quality of operational psychology services, standardize and enhance the professional delivery of such services, encourage the practice and continued development of operational psychology, and respect the applicable rights of persons affected by such services. They are intended for use by psychologists engaged in operational support activities within the areas of national security, national defense, and public safety. It is generally assumed these guidelines will be used by practitioners who are subject to the legal authority of the U.S. government. In situations where the practitioner is operating abroad, the assumption is that services are provided under the auspices of the U.S. government. These guidelines make clear that operational psychologists conduct their activities in accordance with the APA Ethics Code and APA policies related to national security, including policies prohibiting psychologists from participating in national security interrogations (APA, 2015b).
• Professional Practice Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men (PDF, 444KB)
  Research shows that boys and men are at disproportionate risk for school discipline, academic challenges, health disparities and other quality of life issues. Men have higher rates of completed suicide and of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to be victims of violence. Crucially, many men do not seek mental health care when they need it. These guidelines help psychologists directly address the needs of men and boys and help them live happier, healthier lives. They include sections on culture and gender, and provide general recommendations for psychologists on the knowledge, skills and awareness needed today in psychological practice with boys and men. Read more about this guideline and its development.
• Professional Practice Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women (PDF, 497KB)
  These guidelines aim to assist psychologists in the provision of gender-sensitive, culturally competent, and developmentally appropriate psychological practice with girls and women across the lifespan. These guidelines provide recommendations to raise awareness, knowledge, and skills in psychological practice with girls and women. The guidelines touch on the strengths of girls and women, their intersectional identities, and challenges and lifespan issues, as well as provide guidance relevant to research, education, training, and health care.
• Professional Practice Guidelines for Occupationally Mandated Psychological Evaluations
  Psychological evaluations are often relied on by employers, professional licensing boards and civil service commissions to make hiring and employment decisions affecting large numbers of applicants, workers, organizations and the public at large. To promote best practices, these professional practice guidelines were developed for use by psychologists who perform clinical evaluations of individuals for occupational purposes, regardless of whether the evaluation is intended to obtain employment, to achieve licensure/certification or to maintain either.
• Professional Practice Guidelines for Integrating the Role of Work and Career Into Psychological Practice
  These guidelines aim to provide a rationale and need for addressing vocational behavior and the meaning of work in professional practice, an overview of issues in understanding vocational behavior and development and the world of work, and recommendations for working effectively with work and career issues as they interface with multiple aspects of human behavior and functioning. These guidelines are written for psychologists working with clients or patients and provide guidance for clinical interventions related to work and career. They are not intended to provide directions for interventions with organizations and industries but rather focus on the clinical aspects of working with individuals.
• Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People (PDF, 617KB)
  This document lays out 16 guidelines aimed at helping professionals better understand the lifespan development, stigma, discrimination and barriers to care faced by transgender and gender nonconforming people. It is primarily intended for psychologists who provide care, conduct research, or engage in education or training focused on this population. But it may also be helpful to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of transgender and gender nonconforming people.
• Guidelines for Prevention in Psychology (PDF, 142KB)
  The Affordable Care Act (2010) includes preventive services as a key component of overall health care. The legislation strives to make wellness and preventive services affordable and accessible by requiring health plans to cover preventive services without copayments. These services include counseling to improve habits of lifestyle, counseling to reduce depression, and preventive services to foster healthy birth outcomes. The contributions and leadership of psychologists are critical in implementing a prevention focus in the health care system. The guidelines support prevention as an important area of practice, research and training for psychologists. The guidelines identify best practices for psychologists who engage in preventive activities relating to the interface between physical health and emotional well-being.
• Guidelines for the Practice of Telepsychology
  These guidelines are designed to address the developing area of psychological service provision commonly known as telepsychology. The expanding role of technology in the provision of psychological services and the continuous development of new technologies that may be useful in the practice of psychology present unique opportunities, considerations and challenges to practice. With the advancement of technology and the increased number of psychologists using technology in their practices, these guidelines have been prepared to educate and guide them. These guidelines were developed by the Joint Task Force for the Development of Telepsychology Guidelines, comprised of representatives from the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and the APA Insurance Trust (APAIT).
• Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology
  The goals of these guidelines are to improve the quality of forensic psychological services; enhance the practice and facilitate the systematic development of forensic psychology; encourage a high level of quality in professional practice; and encourage forensic practitioners to acknowledge and respect the rights of those they serve. These guidelines are intended for use by psychologists when engaged in the practice of forensic psychology and may also provide guidance on professional conduct to the legal system, and other organizations and professions.
• Guidelines for the Practice of Parenting Coordination
  These guidelines are designed to address an emerging area of practice known as Parenting Coordination. The complex and hybrid parenting coordination model continues to be refined in professional deliberations about the role, emerging statutes and case law, and court and local rules and regulations governing Parenting Coordination practice at the local jurisdictional level. These guidelines intend to provide a framework and direction for professional conduct and decision making. Although designed for psychologists, these guidelines may prove helpful and relevant to other professions as well.
• Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Military Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families (PDF, 1.1MB)
  These guidelines provide recommendations for psychologists who provide services to military service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF). Psychological services in this context refer to a broad range of activities, including but not limited to, assessment, prevention, intervention, and health-related education. These guidelines do not substitute for those generated by federal agencies serving SMVF nor provide an exhaustive review of relevant topics. Rather, they introduce psychologists to the complex practice landscape of serving SMVF and provide a foundation for competence in military culture.
  
• Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults
  These guidelines help psychologists in evaluating their readiness for working with older adults, as well as seeking and using appropriate education and training in this area of practice.
• Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context, Identity, and Intersectionality, 2017
  These guidelines provide psychologists with information and strategies for multicultural psychological practice.
• Guidelines for Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters
  As the complexity of psychological practice increases and the reciprocal involvement between psychologists and the public broadens, the need for guidelines to educate the profession, the public and the other interested parties regarding desirable professional practice in child protection matters continues to increase. Because psychologists may assume various roles and responsibilities in child protection matters, these guidelines were developed primarily for psychologists conducting psychological evaluations in such matters.
• Guidelines for Psychological Practice in Health Care Delivery Systems
  Psychologists practice in an increasingly diverse range of health care delivery systems. At the same time, psychologists’ roles within these settings are expanding, and multidisciplinary collaboration within health care is becoming commonplace. These guidelines are intended to assist psychologists, other health care providers, administrators in health care delivery systems, and the public to conceptualize the roles and responsibilities of psychologists in these diverse contexts.
• APA Guidelines for Psychological Assessment and Evaluation (PDF, 660KB)
  The purpose of the guidelines is to assist and inform psychologists of best practice when psychological instruments, including psychometric tests and collateral information, are used within the practice of psychological assessment and/or evaluation. As the discipline of psychology has expanded, the application of psychological assessment has also developed in response to new areas of practice. Integrated medical and primary care, online assessment and scoring, and global initiatives are examples of these new areas.
• Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons
  Approved as APA Policy by the Council of Representatives, February 26–28, 2021
  Provides psychologists with: (1) a frame of reference for affirmative psychological practice (e.g., intervention, testing, assessment, diagnosis, education, research, etc.) with sexual minority clients across the lifespan, and (2) knowledge and referenced scholarship in the areas of affirmative intervention, assessment, identity, relationships, diversity, education, training, advocacy, and research. These guidelines also recognize that some sexual minority persons possess diverse gender identities and expressions (e.g., transgender, gender nonbinary or gender fluid).
• Guidelines for Assessment of and Intervention With Persons With Disabilities
  The goal of these guidelines is to help psychologists conceptualize and implement more effective, fair and ethical psychological assessments and interventions with persons with disabilities. The guidelines provide suggestions on ways psychologists can make their practices more accessible and disability-sensitive, and how they might enhance their working relationships with clients with disabilities. Additionally, the guidelines provide information on how psychologists can obtain more education, training and experience with disability-related matters.
• Guidelines for the Evaluation of Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Change (PDF, 488KB)
  Dementia in its many forms is a leading cause of functional limitation among older adults worldwide and will continue to ascend in global health importance as populations continue to age and effective cures remain elusive. These important guidelines were developed for psychologists who perform evaluations of dementia and age-related cognitive change.
• Guidelines for Psychological Practice for People with Low-Income and Economic Marginalization
  The purpose of the Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Low-Income or Economically Marginalized (LIEM) individuals is to assist psychologists in the provision of culturally competent care for those whose economic position has negatively impacted or constrained their health and well-being.

APA Clinical Practice Guidelines

APA is in the process of developing clinical practice guidelines which provide specific recommendations about treatment and clinical matters for particular disorders and conditions.

• Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of adults with PTSD. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and applicability.

For more information on treating children and adolescents with PTSD, please refer to the following resources:

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network Initiative (SAMHSA)
• Child Exposure to Trauma: Comparative Effectiveness of Interventions Addressing Maltreatment
  (Fraser et al., 2013; Effective Health Care Program of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ])
• Child and Adolescent Exposure to Trauma: Comparative Effectiveness of Interventions Addressing Trauma Other Than Maltreatment or Family Violence
  (Hoffman et al. 2013; Effective Health Care Program of AHRQ)

• Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obesity and Overweight in Children and Adolescents
  The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 2-18. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and applicability.
• Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression Across Three Age Cohorts
  The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of depression in children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and consideration of the applicability of the evidence across demographic groups and settings.

Policy Documents on Developing APA Guidelines

Professional Practice Guidelines

• Practice Guidelines Criteria Checklist (PDF, 19KB)
  This checklist is a companion to the Criteria for Practice Guideline Development and Evaluation and may be used to evaluate guidelines that have been submitted for review and consideration for approval per Association Rule 30.8.
• Professional Practice Guidelines: Guidance for Developers and Users (PDF, 179KB)
  This document is a guide for the development, evaluation, and review of proposed and existing professional practice guidelines. It is designed to promote quality and consistency in professional practice guideline development and to describe the criteria by which these guidelines are evaluated and reviewed. These criteria are designed to assist in the development of guidelines that are broadly applicable to a range of practice areas yet provide sufficient specificity to assist the practitioner in providing high quality psychological services. The intent behind these criteria is to ensure deliberation and care in the development of professional practice guidelines. This document is intended for professional practice guideline development committees composed entirely of psychologists and for other efforts in which psychologists are involved.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

• Placing Clinical Practice Guidelines in Context
  Provision of high quality, effective care that reduces symptoms and helps the patient return to higher levels of functioning is a shared goal for patients and their families, practitioners, policy makers, and administrators. But knowing which information to trust and prioritize is not easy, and synthesizing available research and determining preferable care options can be daunting. Clinical practice guidelines are an essential tool to guide clinical decision-making and make it easier for patients to get the care they need.
• 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 (PDF, 29KB)
  The checklist identifies the elements that the APA expects to find in a well-researched and well-written set of treatment guidelines.

Quality Improvement Programs

• Criteria for the Evaluation of Quality Improvement Programs and the Use of Quality Improvement Data
• Evidence Based Practice in Psychology

Expiration of APA Guidelines

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 email or call (202) 336-5881.