The American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology (ABRP) was incorporated in 1995 as the certifying board for competence in rehabilitation psychology and has been a member board of the American Board of Professional Psychology since 1997.
Rehabilitation psychology is a specialty area within professional psychology focused on assisting individuals with congenital or acquired disabilities in achieving optimal emotional, cognitive, physical, and social functioning. Rehabilitation psychologists take a comprehensive approach, considering the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. They are actively engaged in clinical practice, research, advocacy, administration, and education. For more information, see the Academy of Rehabilitation Psychology and Division 22.
The process of attaining board certification in rehabilitation psychology is similar to that of other ABPP specialties. It includes submission of credentials to establish eligibility, review of practice samples, and successful completion of an oral examination. ABRP was among the first ABPP specialty boards to implement a formal mentoring process to guide candidates through each stage, including application, practice sample preparation, and the oral examination.
