Demographic, Educational, Employment, and Professional Characteristics of Counseling Psychologists

Abstract

Counseling psychologist members of Division 17 (n = 1,792) were compared with counseling psychologist nonmembers of Division 17 within the American Psychological Association (APA; n = 6,917) with respect to demographic, educational, and professional characteristics reported in the 2003 APA Directory Survey. Employment setting and work activities of both groups were also studied based on employment data from the 2000 APA Directory Survey (n = 3,908). Findings indicated a relatively lower percentage of newer counseling psychologists maintaining membership in Division 17 and reflected differences in the employment settings and professional activities of each group. With respect to APA division membership, a majority of counseling psychologists who did not belong to Division 17 also did not belong to any divisions within APA (67.8%). APA divisions most frequently joined by counseling psychologist nonmembers of Division 17 included Divisions 42, 29, 35, 43, and 40.