Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards

The ASPPB Examination Program

The major purpose for the founding of ASPPB in 1961 (then known

as the American Association of State Psychology Boards –

AASPB) was the creation of a standardized exam that could be

used by member psychology boards to assist in assessing their

applicants for licensure. To that end, ASPPB developed the

Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP),

which has been in continuous use since first administered in

1965. ASPPB continues to develop and own the EPPP. This

edition of the ASPPB Central will take a more in-depth look at this

service by discussing the history of the exam, item development,

customer service aspects, and disability accommodations. We will

also look at how one can transfer their exam score from jurisdiction

to jurisdiction.

The Early Days

Testing Dates - Through the mid-1970’s jurisdictions could

administer the EPPP on any dates they wanted, but in 1977 ASPPB

established common testing dates and start times. From that time

until the initiation of computer based testing in 2001, the exam was given on only two days each

year: one day in April and one day in October. Dates were selected and published approximately

five years in advance and were selected to avoid major religious holidays and ASPPB’s Annual

Meeting.

Number of Questions - The EPPP, which has always been comprised of multiple-choice

questions, was originally administered in a paper/pencil format, and scores were reported as

percent scores on a raw score basis. The number of questions on forms of the exam has varied

over the years. It initially had 150 items, increasing to 175 in 1966, and to 200 in 1969. To

complicate things further, items that performed poorly (as determined by post-exam item

Spring Edition 2016

Executive Message 1

Item Development/ Customer Service

4

Disability Accommodations

6

EPPP Score Transfer 7

From the Central Office

9

Summer Preview 11

Annual Meeting 12

ASPPB Meetings 14

statistics) were not included as scored items. This resulted in varying numbers of scored

questions between exam forms. However, beginning in 1982, any items that had poor statistics

were multiple-keyed, thus making EPPP forms consistently contain 200 scored items.

Passing Scores - Until 1992 there were many different passing scores across jurisdictions.

ASPPB’s first recommended passing score of 70 percent (140 raw score) was established by

delegates at ASPPB’s 1992 Annual Meeting, and was soon adopted by the vast majority of

jurisdictions. This made obtaining a license in a new jurisdiction much easier for psychologists

since the required score was more uniform across jurisdictions.

Translations - Since 1993, the French Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology

(FEPPP) has been offered in addition to the English EPPP in Canadian provinces where required

by law. Likewise, in response to a request from the Puerto Rico Board of Psychologist

Examiners in 2013, ASPPB has made two forms of the EPPP available in Spanish. Puerto Rico

implemented a law that requires the EPPP for licensure as a psychologist, and along with the

English EPPP, the Spanish Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (SEPPP)

became available to licensure applicants in Puerto Rico beginning April 1, 2014.

The Modern Era

ASPPB’s Examination Program entered a more modern era with the shift to computer-based

testing (CBT) in 2001. This resulted in several changes including continuous testing, which

required scaled scoring, and pretesting of all exam items.

Changes with Computer Based Testing - Each form of the EPPP had 200 operational (scored)

items and 25 pretest (unscored) items until 2011, when there was a shift to 175 operational items

and 50 pretest items. CBT allowed ASPPB to offer the EPPP to approved exam candidates at any

authorized testing center on any day and time of the candidate’s choosing. This is still the

current practice… a far cry from the possibility of testing on only two days per year! EPPP

scores are now converted to a scale ranging from 200 to 800. Scaled scoring converts raw scores

to ensure that scores on different forms of the exam have the same meaning, and that pass points

represent the same level of difficulty. Regardless of the test form taken, the scaled scores

represent equal levels of achievement. ASPPB has established recommended passing scores of

500 for independent practice and 450 for supervised practice. The independent practice score is

used by all jurisdictions now, although there is still some variability across jurisdictions for the

passing score for supervised practice.

Exam Vendor Change - After a careful and comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) process,

and 53 years with the same exam vendor, ASPPB’s Board of Directors selected Pearson/Pearson

VUE to be ASPPB’s new vendor for examination services, candidate management and exam

delivery beginning February 1, 2015. The new systems have enhanced the Examination Program

by allowing direct communication and assistance to jurisdictions on exam related matters, a

larger and more standardized network of testing centers, greater access to candidate information,

and improved tools and processes for examination development. However, shifting exam

vendors after 53 years was no simple task. ASPPB’s Examination Program staff worked

intensely for the 10 months prior to the implementation date to establish the processes and

supporting technology systems for candidate management, item banking and exam form

development and delivery. The transition has been very smooth. There have been some changes

in processes for jurisdictions and for candidates resulting in many benefits, including receipt of

unofficial scores by candidates immediately upon completion of the EPPP, immediate feedback

by domain for failed candidates at no cost, and weekly score reporting to jurisdictions.

Possible Skills-Based Exam

The EPPP has always been a knowledge-based exam. As a continuation of its commitment to

assisting member boards to meet their mandate of public protection, ASPPB’s Board of Directors

is investigating the possibility of creating an additional component to its Examination Program

that would assess skills at the point of licensure this exam would be complementary to the EPPP.

ASPPB’s Committee on Competency Assessment (CCA) is currently gathering information to

enable ASPPB’s Board of Directors to make a decision about whether to develop this exam and

will present its final report in January 2016.

Amy Hilson, CAE

Associate Executive Officer Exams and Governance

Have you ever wondered who creates items for the Examination for Professional Practice in

Psychology (EPPP) and how an item is developed?

The creation of items for the EPPP begins with a group of subject matter experts, appointed by

ASPPB’s Board of Directors, who make up the Item Development Committee (IDC). This

group of volunteers is chosen for their outstanding credentials and achievements in the specific

domains that comprise the content areas of the EPPP. The IDC is charged to oversee the item

writing process and recruit Item Writers from across the United States and Canada, and who

represent the breadth of the content areas of the EPPP. IDC Members serve as mentors, training

each Item Writer on creating and submitting items that make up the EPPP Item Bank.

Item development begins with an item going through a process of validation between the Item

Writer and a subject matter expert on the IDC, including assignment to the appropriate EPPP

content domain as set out in established test specifications. Once an item is approved by an IDC

domain expert, it is then added into the EPPP Pretest Item Bank. Items are selected in

accordance with the test specifications from the Pretest Item Bank for inclusion on pretest blocks

that accompany active forms of the EPPP. These items go through another review when

ASPPB’s Examination Committee conducts an additional review and then the exam form with

pretest items is published and becomes a live form. When a sufficient number of candidates have

taken the pretest items, the performance statistics of each are evaluated. Pretest items whose

statistics fall within acceptable ranges are then added to the EPPP Operational Bank. Final forms

of the EPPP contain 225 items selected from the Operational/Pretest Item Banks. Candidates are

scored on only 175 items. The 50 remaining pretest items are randomly distributed throughout

the exam and are evaluated for style, format subject accuracy, relevance, professional level of

mastery, contribution to public protection and freedom from bias.

ASPPB is grateful for the volunteers who serve as subject matter experts for the Examination

Program. Their invaluable assistance makes the EPPP a quality exam that is used to assist

member boards in evaluating the qualifications of applicants for licensure.

ASPPB Exam Program Customer Service

Strides have been made by ASPPB to provide a customer service process to both EPPP

candidates and member boards. In February 2015, in conjunction with the transition to a new

vendor for exam services, the ASPPB Examination Program Helpline was established and is

staffed by ASPPB personnel. Today we offer assistance to exam candidates via email, web forms

and phone.

Additionally, we assist candidates by:

Providing information for scheduling the EPPP and Practice EPPP exams

Walking candidates through the registration process when needed

Assisting candidates in accessing the online exam application system

Making corrections within the system to candidate names and email addresses

Providing information on our ID, cancellation and rescheduling policies

It is ASPPB’s intent to provide quality assistance to member boards. Member boards should feel

free to contact ASPPB for assistance, whether it is related to entering a candidate into the system,

discussing a candidate’s accommodation needs, reauthorizing to take the EPPP, or correcting a

candidate’s name or email address in the system. We also want member boards to rest assured

that when they refer a candidate to ASPPB, the candidate’s questions will be handled as

promptly as possible.

Emelyn East

EPPP Item Development Program Manager

With the transition to the new examination vendor, ASPPB took on more “in house”

responsibilities for many of the functions that had historically been outsourced. One of those

functions was coordinating the process of jurisdiction approval of accommodations. In doing so,

ASPPB now has a more direct connection with member jurisdictions. Staff is available to offer

direct assistance for technical issues and guidance or consultation on matters related to

accommodations.

Jurisdictional approval processes vary but the common theme is that all jurisdictions currently

collect documentation of a candidate’s disability and the request for an accommodation. The

jurisdiction reviews the documents to verify the disability and determine which, if any,

accommodations are appropriate, reasonable, and necessary for a fair administration. When

candidates register for the examination in the online application portal, they must indicate that an

accommodation is being requested, which notifies their jurisdiction of the request. The

appropriate jurisdiction staff indicates the accommodations approval. The candidate registration

portal allows each jurisdiction to select from a menu of options of “standard” or more common

accommodations. In rare cases, other less common accommodations may be appropriate. These

would be indicated by selecting “Other” in the portal menu. Whenever an “Other”

accommodation is selected or considered, please contact ASPPB directly to advise on the

accommodation that is being considered. ASPPB is committed to providing appropriate and

reasonable accommodations to any candidate that requires them but must also ensure that any

request can be feasibly accomplished, maintains content security and does not pose a threat to

examination validity. Therefore, these are the cases in we hope to collaborate with jurisdictions

in order to find an appropriate solution for candidates that may require a more atypical

accommodation.

ASPPB has dedicated staff for jurisdictional support. Feel free to contact us if you have any

questions. I have experience in psychological evaluations and disability needs. Should you wish

to consult on a case, I can be a resource to your staff.

Matt Turner, Ph.D

Director of Examination Services

The EPPP Score Transfer Service is another service that ASPPB offers to both licensed and

unlicensed individuals. This service allows one to send their EPPP score to a state or province

for licensure or certification. The official EPPP Score Transfer will also include a review of

ASPPB's Disciplinary Data System to determine if a disciplinary sanction imposed on the

candidate's license has been reported by a psychology licensing board.

How It Works:

An individual requests their score to be sent to a jurisdiction and pays the processing fee.

ASPPB gets notified of the request, and creates an official document specific to the identified

jurisdiction. This document informs the jurisdiction of the individual’s score, has the official

ASPPB seal on it, and is sent directly to the jurisdiction. If someone would like to request a

copy of their EPPP score for their own records, they would need to contact ASPPB and request

an unofficial score transfer.

How to Request an Official Score Transfer:

There are two ways one can request a score transfer – Online through our PLUS Portal or

through a paper request form. Below we will take an in-depth look at each method:

PLUS Portal:

1. Visit the PLUS Portal website at https://plus.actinnovations.com/default.aspx

2. Enter in your username and password.

a. If you have never logged into the PLUS Portal before click on the ‘New

Client’ button at the bottom of the login box.

i. Complete the Personal Information Page. Once you have saved

your information, you will be notified by email of your password

to finish processing your score transfer request.

b. If you have logged in before but do not remember your username or

password, click on the ‘Forgot Password?’ link at the bottom of the log in

box.

3. Fill in the required information, make the payment, and your request will be

processed.

4. You will receive a letter in the mail confirming the request has been processed.

Paper Request:

1. If you do not wish to process your score transfer online, please email us at

asppb@asppb.org for a .PDF version of the request form. Print out this form,

complete it, and send it back to ASPPB via fax at 678-216-1184 or postal mail to

PO Box 3079 Peachtree City, GA 30269.

How soon will the Board or Agency receive my EPPP score?

For Standard EPPP Score Transfer Service, you should allow four weeks from the time

you submit your request. For Expedited EPPP Score Transfer Service, you should allow five business days from

the time ASPPB receives your request.

Important Note

Please note that an EPPP Score Transfer only needs to be completed when you are sending your

results to another state/province outside of the state/province in which you initially took the

exam.

Also, if you are applying for licensure in a state/province using the Psychology Licensure

Universal System (PLUS) you do not need to request a score transfer. As one of the benefits of

using PLUS, this service is not required.

Veronica Zambuto

Member Services Representative

New Hires:

Browning, Leslie

Hi! My name is Leslie Browning and I am the Administrative Assistant for Exam Services. I

have lived in Tyrone for 23 years but am originally from Shreveport, LA. For the past eight years

I have worked for a local accounting firm and am excited for the new adventure here at ASPPB.

I love college football and watching the LSU Tigers. In my spare time I like to run, work outside

and spend time with my two boys, Matthew (17) and Will (14). I also have 3 furkids, a chocolate

lab and two cats. I am happy to have joined the ASPPB team!

Gonzalez, Elizabeth

Hola! My name is Elizabeth Gonzalez and I have recently joined this wonderful team at ASPPB

as a Legislative Specialist. I come with five years of experience as a Paralegal in several law

fields including Bankruptcy, Immigration, Workers Compensation, Personal Injury and Family

Law. I have also worked for a non-profit organization as an Admin/Conference Coordinator for

six years. I have Business Administration and Paralegal Studies in my educational background

and am working on my Criminal Justice degree. If my Hola didn’t give it away, I am fluently

bilingual in Spanish. I’m originally from beautiful Southern California, born and raised in Los

Angeles, where the weather is perfect! I moved to Atlanta for family reasons, but stayed to raise

my beautiful 15 year old daughter. We spend most of our time with our huge family in Georgia,

enjoying fun adventures and traveling. We both love extreme sports, and yes, I have sky dived!

Look forward to working with you all! Hasta pronto!

Jordan, Kim

I am thrilled to be a part of the ASPPB team as the Assistant Director of Meetings and Events

working for Anita Scott. I am a native Atlantan and after graduating with a marketing degree

from the American InterContinental University, I embarked on a ten year adventure as a military

spouse and lived overseas in Germany and Italy while working as a contractor for the Federal

Government. I returned to Atlanta in 1999 and worked for Georgia-Pacific as a Promotions and

Public Relations Manager and most recently as a division Meeting Planner. I have been married

to Kevin Jordan, a Navy Veteran, and a die-hard KY Wildcats fan, for six years. At home, we

have three dogs, Gracie, an 11 year old Rottweiler, Sweet Tea, a seven year old Akita/Shepherd

mix, and Lil Buddy, a 13 year old Chihuahua who rules the big dogs. I have one daughter,

Shelby, and two stepchildren, Jason and Jill. Shelby was born in Germany and is now 20 years

old and is active duty in the Army stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. Jason, 17 and Jill, 14 are in high

school and stay with us every other weekend. I enjoy traveling, shopping, reading and watching

TV.

Evans, Amy

Hi, I’m Amy Evans, and I’m the new Credentialing Services Representative. I graduated from

Georgia College and State University with a B.A. in English and a minor in Women’s Studies.

Prior to working at ASPPB, I worked for a training center for the American Heart Association

teaching CPR classes. My Husband and I live near downtown Senoia, and we have a daughter

named Kylie and an English Bulldog named Rose Bud. In my spare time I enjoy trying new

restaurants, crafting, and hanging out with family and friends. I’m also one of the biggest Atlanta

Falcons fans. I try to attend at least one game per season (if not more). I’m very excited to be

working here as a part of the ASPPB family, and I cannot wait to get to know everyone better!

ASPPB Strategic Plan:

ASPPB’s first strategic plan was adopted and approved by the ASPPB Board of Directors in

June 2005. Development of the plan involved an external consultant who conducted a series of

interviews with members of the Board of Directors, senior staff, committee chairs, member

jurisdictions and a few related organizations. This 2005 plan was then used to guide the work of

the Association over the next ten (10) years, with a series of reviews and updates in 2007, 2009

and 2012.

The Board of Directors voted in August 2015 to engage in a complete revision of the strategic

plan during 2016, to guide the work of the Association over the next five (5) years. ASPPB has

sought out an external consultant/facilitator to aid the Association in meeting its goal of

producing a concise and useful strategic plan. Over the course of the next year, you may receive

surveys and/or interview requests as stakeholders of ASPPB. The Association values and

appreciates your responses and participation as this feedback will help create an effective and

enduring strategic plan.

In the spring edition of ASPPB Central we will look at the services the ASPPB Mobility

Program has to offer. These services include the Credentials Bank, the Certificate of

Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ), and the Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate

(IPC). The Mobility Program also has a Closed Records Verification Service (CRVS) and has

recently added a new university. As of October 2015, the Forest Institute of Professional

Psychology has closed and ASPPB has become their official Agent of Records. ASPPB is in

possession of all official transcripts for Forest Institute and if an official copy is needed, former

students/graduates can contact ASPPB. For more information on this, and the other services the

Mobility Program has to offer, please see the winter edition of ASPPB Central and the ASPPB

website, http://www.asppb.net/.

The Venue

This year ASPPB held its 55th annual meeting in Tempe, Arizona as Arizona celebrated 50 years

of Psychology Regulation. There was a great turnout, informative presenters, and a fun time had

by all!

Welcome Reception Board of Directors

Informative

Presentations

President’s Dinner

Venue

May

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4

Midyear

Meeting -

Alaska

5

Midyear

Meeting -

Alaska

6

Midyear

Meeting -

Alaska

7

Midyear

Meeting -

Alaska

8

Mother’s

Day

9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

Memorial

Day

31

June

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9

CPA

Convention/

BOD

Meeting

10

CPA

Convention/

BOD

Meeting

11

CPA

Convention/

BOD

Meeting

12

CPA

Convention/

BOD

Meeting

13

CPA

Convention/

BOD

Meeting

14

CPA

Convention/

BOD

Meeting

15 16 17 18

19

Father’s

Day

20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

For any questions, comments or to be removed from this mailing list, please contact:

John Mickley at jmickley@asppb.org or 678-216-1183