STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION
I) Introduction
The American Board for Accreditation in Psychoanalysis, Inc. (ABAP) accredits psychoanalytic training programs, whether such programs are offered within freestanding psychoanalytic institutes or within larger educational organizations. Accreditation is a mechanism of professional peer review that provides public assurance about the educational quality and integrity of those psychoanalytic programs that seek or wish to maintain membership. Since they are developed by the members, these standards reflect the values and principles of peer institutions. In order to achieve and maintain accreditation, an institution demonstrates that its program(s) meet ABAP’s standards and have the capacity to continue to meet those standards going forward.
ABAP recognizes the diversity that exists among various schools of thought and approaches to education in psychoanalysis. ABAP encourages innovative programs insofar as these are conceived and implemented in a manner that ensures the quality and integrity of psychoanalytic training, as reflected in these standards.
II) Standards Review
ABAP engages in continual self-study of its own standards. Every five years, ABAP undergoes a standards review process as outlined in the ABAP Handbook on Accreditation. In between formal standards reviews, ABAP may change standards if its governing bodies believe such a change is warranted, as described in the Handbook.
III) Standards
Standard One: Mission, Organization, and Governance
1-1. The program seeking accreditation has a published mission statement that describes its goals for psychoanalytic training.
1-2. The educational institution offering the program has legal authority to operate in its jurisdiction, whether through a charter, formal authority, or incorporation from a state Department of Education or other established component of a state or governmental agency. The institute/program is in compliance with particular state licensing and educational requirements.
1-3. The program has been in existence for a minimum of two (2) years, is organized to train students in the practice of psychoanalysis, and has demonstrated the conducting of such psychoanalytic training in a manner respectful of the accreditation standards.
1-4. . The institution has a governing board, a president or chief executive officer, and other officers needed to carry out its functions.
1-5. While respecting the important tradition of institute governance by psychoanalysts who are responsible for training, the governing board demonstrates sufficient independence to ensure it can act in the public’s best interest, including the following:
1-5.a. The board involves members of the public (with no financial interest or immediate familial financial interest in the institution) in its policy and decision making bodies, through board membership or in an advisory or consultative capacity.
1-5.b. At least one public member for every six board members, with a minimum of one public board member, is recommended for sufficient representation of the public interest.
1-5.c. The board maintains a conflict of interest policy to protect the institution’s interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director.
1-6. The composition of the board or its policy and decision making bodies reflects the areas of competence needed to fulfill its responsibilities, including appropriate legal and financial expertise.
1-7. The authority, responsibilities, and relationships among the governing board, program administration, program faculty, and staff are clearly described in the institution’s bylaws, or an equivalent document, and in a table of organization that displays the working order of the institution.
1-8. The board, administration, staff, and faculty understand and fulfill their respective roles as set forth in official documents, job descriptions, and agreements and are provided with the appropriate information to undertake their respective roles.
1-9. The institute maintains adequate written agreements with other institutions that participate in the preparation of its candidates.
1-10. The institute maintains adequate risk management policies, including Directors and Officers insurance and liability insurance.
Standard Two: Financial Resources
2-1. The institution has adequate financial resources to carry out its operations and sustain programmatic quality going forward, as demonstrated by three years of financial statements that have been reviewed or audited by a certified public accountant, as well as a three-year projected operating budget.
2-2. Individuals responsible for administering the financial system at the institute or program are qualified by education and/or experience to carry out their fiduciary responsibilities.
Standard Three: Library Resources
3-1. The institution makes available to all students and faculty library and information resources, including books, periodicals, reference materials, and electronic resources, which support the instructional and research needs of the psychoanalytic training program. Such resources are readily accessible and such access is sustainable.
Standard Four: Physical and Technological Resources
4-1. The institution has adequate facilities, space, equipment, and technological resources to carry out its educational, clinical, and research programs now and into the foreseeable future.
Standard Five: Faculty Resources
5-1. The institution has a psychoanalytic faculty that is sufficient to sustain academic quality.
5-2. The program has well-defined policies and procedures to recruit, appoint, and promote qualified faculty.
5-3. Faculty members and other instructional personnel are qualified by education and experience to implement the instructional program.
5-4. The number of faculty members is sufficient to ensure the regular offering of the full range of courses required for the program.
5-5. Faculty members teaching courses in the theory and practice of psychoanalysis are predominantly certified psychoanalysts.
5-6. Each supervisor is a certified psychoanalyst and has a minimum of three years of experience in the practice of psychoanalysis post-graduation.
Standard Six: Student Support Resources
6-1. The institute provides sufficient student support services, such as academic advising, placement services for supervision, internships, or clinical work, and career guidance on the practice of psychoanalysis.
6-2. Faculty members responsible for advising students are knowledgeable of the curriculum, program requirements, and graduation requirements.
Standard Seven: Public Disclosure and Institutional Integrity
7-1. The institution publishes accurate, clear, complete, and timely information about itself, whether in print or electronically. Such publications are readily accessible.
7-2. The institution publishes or otherwise makes available:
(a) Its mission statement.
(b) A description of the ownership, control, and type of legal organization of the institution.
(c) The names and affiliations of members of its governing board and policy and decision-making bodies, and the name(s) of its principal administrative personnel.
(d) The names and credentials of its faculty.
(e) Its admissions policies and procedures.
(f) Its non-discrimination policy.
(g) A description of the program(s) and the requirements for advancement through the various levels of the program(s) and for graduation.
(h) The procedures and criteria utilized in arriving at decisions regarding the advancement of candidates and graduation.
(i) A description of the educational and student support resources available.
(j) Grievance and appeal policies and procedures for faculty, staff, and students with complaints against the institution.
(k) Its tuition and fee schedule and refund policies.
(l) Its transfer of academic credit policy.
(m) Its policies regarding release of records.
7-3. The institution does not discriminate with regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, age, creed, or employment status in any aspect of its psychoanalytic programs, including the selection and assignment of faculty and administrative staff, student admissions, class and field placement, and referral services.
7-4. The institution has policies regarding the kinds of information that will be included in the permanent record of students and patients. The institute has policies regarding the release, retention, safety, security, and disposal of student and patient records. Its information-release policies respect the rights of individual privacy, the confidentiality of records, the best interests of students, patients, and the institution, and applicable law. With respect only to the student’s rights to inspect, review, and amend his or her record, the institute follows the requirements outlined in the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
7-5. The institution applies its standards, policies, and procedures fairly; its evaluations are conducted and decisions rendered under conditions that ensure an impartial and objective judgment.
7-6. The institution has published procedures for the review of complaints by faculty, staff, and students pertaining to its program and practices, and such procedures are adequate to treat complaints in a manner that is fair and equitable to the complainant as well as to the institution. Institutes and programs retain the records of all complaints and how they were adjudicated and make them available for inspection by site visitors in a way that respects the confidentiality and privacy of those involved.
7-7. The institute safeguards the rights of students in that:
(a) Prior to any adverse action, a statement of the reason(s) is provided.
(b) A formal response, to be incorporated into the record, may be made by the student.
(c) An appeal of the decision may be made by the student.
(d) An impartial appeal procedure is published and includes the right to a hearing.
7-8. Changes in Requirements
(a) The institute provides advance notice of revised requirements to students and allows adequate opportunity for comment on the requirements prior to adoption.
(b) Continuously enrolled students are permitted to adhere to the requirements of the catalog under which they matriculated.
7-9. The institute requires that when students practice psychoanalysis for training purposes, they are allowed to do so only under qualified supervision as described below.
7-10. The institute maintains an equitable student tuition refund policy.
7-11. The institute maintains an equitable transfer of academic credit policy.
7-12. The institution graduates only students who meet its published standards, including ethical behavior. Its graduates demonstrate to the satisfaction of the institution their competence to practice.
7-13. Faculty, trustees, administrators, and students of an accredited institution are governed by the ABAP or NAAP Code of Ethics.
7-14. The institute endorses the ABAP Code of Good Practice.
7-15. Institutes have a contingency plan to assure that currently enrolled candidates will have an opportunity to complete their training should the program, for any reason, cease to function.
Standard Eight: Education and Training Program
8-1. Admission
(a) The program’s admission policies and procedures are clear and consistent with its mission.
(b) Students admitted are demonstrably qualified for advanced academic study; specifically, the institution requires students to possess a Master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution before matriculation into a program of psychoanalytic practice under supervision.
(c) Students admitted demonstrate their suitability for psychoanalytic training through interviews or other procedures determined by the institute.
8-2. The psychoanalytic training program is organized to train students to attain the following educational objectives:
(a) To understand the theory and practice of psychoanalysis through classroom instruction, case conferences, and seminars;
(b) To develop self-understanding through a personal psychoanalysis;
(c) To develop proficiency in the technique of psychoanalysis, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, through supervised practice;
(d) To develop sound, ethical standards of professional behavior.
8-3. The program requires the student to complete the following requirements prior to graduation:
(a) A minimum of thirty-six (36) credit hours (450 clock hours) of post-Master’s level coursework in psychoanalytic studies. Typical coursework includes personality development; socio-cultural influences on growth and psychopathology; psychopathology, diagnosis, and treatment; practice techniques (including use of dreams and symbolic processes, work with resistance, transference, and countertransference); case seminars; clinical practica; professional ethics; and psychoanalytic research methodology.
(b) A minimum of fifteen hundred (1,500) hours of clinical experience including the following:
(i) A personal psychoanalysis of a minimum of three hundred (300) hours with a certified psychoanalyst(s).
(ii) At least two hundred (200) hours of individual psychoanalytic supervision with a minimum of 3 psychoanalyst supervisors, of which at least fifty (50) hours shall be with one psychoanalyst supervisor working on one case, and at least fifty (50) hours shall be with a second psychoanalyst supervisor working on an additional one or more cases. The institute requires that a supervisor may not have been and may not currently be one’s personal analyst.
(iii) At least one thousand (1000) hours of supervised clinical experience with a variety of patients within the full spectrum of psychological disorders, of which two hundred fifty (250) hours of experience may consist of group supervision, case conference supervision, and continuing clinical education experience.
8-4. The institution provides a means for systematic self-evaluation of its requirements, curriculum, faculty, standards, policies, and procedures, in order to determine how well it is meeting its mission.
(a) The institute has in place comprehensive assessment systems that examine every aspect of the program, including:
(i) the program’s success in teaching students to achieve specific, mission-related learning objectives (such as competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities), and
(ii) other measures of student achievement, such as licensure passage rates, student retention and graduation rates, or other accomplishments.
(b) The institution provides for student input with regard to improvements of its educational objectives and procedures.
(c) The institution provides for student participation in self-studies and the site visits of the institution.
Standard Nine: Distance Education
9-1. ABAP recognizes that institutes may provide psychoanalytic training from a distance when geographically necessary. The institute is responsible for ensuring that psychoanalytic training meets ABAP standards wherever and however programs are offered.