Ph.D. in Psychology – Clinical Psychology

Competencies for Aim #6:

A. They understand the functions and roles of related disciplines and interact with these colleagues to conduct research, direct educational programs or provide services to others in applied settings.

B. They manage the delivery of services, administer or direct organizations, programs or agencies and function as leaders in their professional communities.

C. They advocate and promote productive changes at individual, institutional and/or systems levels.

Degree Requirements

A description of program requirements can be found in the graduate catalog.

Students must complete a one-year full-time APA-accredited internship (to be completed in year five or six for those entering with a bachelor’s degree or in year four or five for those entering with a master’s degree and approved thesis).

Faculty Research Interests – Clinical Child area of emphasis

• Elisa Krackow, PhD – Child/developmental psychology; eyewitness memory and suggestibility; false memories; forensic interviewing; jurors' perceptions
• Seeking a student for the Fall 2025 admissions cycle
• Michelle Roley-Roberts, PhD – Clinical child and adolescent psychology, intersection of culture and childhood trauma, suicide risk
• Seeking a student for the Fall 2025 admissions cycle
• Janelle Heddings, Ph.D (Department of Behavioral Medicine, Pediatrics) –  Adjustment to chronic illness or injury, adherence, chronic pain, somatic symptom disorders. Lab website: https://adaptwv.com/
• Seeking a student for the Fall 2025 admissions cycle

Faculty Research Interests – Adults

Faculty Research Interests – Geropsychology

• Barry Edelstein, PhD – Geropsychology; decision making in older adults
  
• Not accepting new students
• Amy Fiske, PhD  – Geropsychology; depression and suicide in older adults
• Not accepting a student this admissions cycle

The profession of clinical psychology adheres to the current ethical principles of psychologists, as stated by the American Psychological Association (July, 2003) and the legal codes regulating the profession within each state. In undergoing training to become a clinical psychologist, all trainees must also adhere to these ethical principles and legal codes. At various practicum locations during training, during application for clinical internship and upon review for licensure and health provider panels after graduation, clinical psychologists undergo scrutiny regarding their personal background (background checks) and issues of personal integrity. The following questions represent the types of questions asked:

• Has disciplinary action, in writing, of any sort ever been taken against you by a supervisor, educational or training institution, health care institution, professional association or licensing/certification board? Are there any complaints currently pending against you before any of the above bodies?
  
• Has there ever been a decision in a civil suit rendered against you relative to your professional work, or is any such action pending?
  
• Have you ever been suspended, terminated or asked to resign by a training program, practicum site or employer?
  
• Have you ever been convicted of an offense against the law (including DUI) other than a minor traffic violation?
  
• Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
  

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you may encounter difficulties receiving an offer of admission to our graduate program, securing clinical practicum positions during training, obtaining an approved clinical internship or becoming a licensed psychologist. As such, a person who answered “yes” to any of these questions should strongly consider whether the time and effort involved in seeking and obtaining a graduate degree in clinical psychology is in his or her best interest.

Comprehensive Evaluation Policy

Faculty, training staff, supervisors and administrators of the clinical psychology area of study at West Virginia University have a professional, ethical and potentially legal obligation to: (a) establish criteria and methods through which aspects of competence other than, and in addition to, a student-trainee’s knowledge or skills may be assessed (including, but not limited to, emotional stability and well being, interpersonal skills, professional development and personal fitness for practice) and (b) ensure insofar as possible that the student-trainees who complete our program are competent to manage future relationships (e.g., client, collegial, professional, public, scholarly, supervisory, teaching) in an effective and appropriate manner. Because of this commitment and within the parameters of our administrative authority, our faculty, training staff, supervisors and administrators strive not to advance, recommend or graduate students or trainees with demonstrable problems (e.g., cognitive, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, technical and ethical) that may interfere with professional competence to other programs, the profession, employers or the public at large.

As such, within a developmental framework and with due regard for the inherent power difference between students and faculty, students and trainees should know that the faculty, training staff, and supervisors of this Program will evaluate their competence in areas other than, and in addition to, coursework, seminars, scholarship, preliminary examinations, or related program requirements. These evaluative areas include, but are not limited to, demonstration of sufficient (a) interpersonal and professional competence (e.g. the ways in which student-trainees relate to clients, peers, faculty, allied professionals, the public and individuals from diverse backgrounds or histories); (b) self-awareness, self-reflection and self-evaluation (e.g. knowledge of the content and potential impact of one’s own beliefs and values on clients, peers, faculty, allied professionals, the public and individuals from diverse backgrounds or histories); (c) openness to processes of supervision (e.g. the ability and willingness to explore issues that either interfere with the appropriate provision of care or impede professional development or functioning); and (d) resolution of issues or problems that interfere with professional development or functioning in a satisfactory manner (e.g. by responding constructively to feedback from supervisors or program faculty, successful completion of remediation plans or participating in personal therapy to resolve issues or problems).

This policy is applicable to settings and contexts in which evaluation would appropriately occur (e.g., coursework, practica, supervision) rather than settings and contexts unrelated to the formal process of education and training (e.g. non-academic, social contexts). However, irrespective of setting or context, when a student-trainees conduct clearly and demonstrably (a) impacts the performance, development, or functioning of the student-trainee, (b) raises questions of an ethical nature, (c) represents a risk to public safety or (d) damages the representation of psychology to the profession or public, appropriate representatives of our program may review such conduct within the context of the program's evaluation processes.

Adapted from the Comprehensive Evaluation of Student-Trainee Competence in Professional Psychology Programs statement developed by the Student Competence Task Force of the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC).