GATHERING A CONSENSUS VIEW OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY COMPETENCIES IN SINGAPORE: A DELPHI STUDY

Abstract

Background: There has been increasing emphasis on integrating medical and psychological services (i.e., integrated care) in order to provide cohesive treatment to clients with multiple needs such as individuals with multiple health conditions or clients affected by co-occurring physical and psychological ill-health. Since 2007, Singapore too, has begun to acknowledge the importance of integrated care through nationwide efforts. Integrated care is provided by a multidisciplinary team of professionals, each bringing specific expertise to the team. Psychologists who function within such multidisciplinary teams, and who conduct mental/behavioural health interventions to improve clients’ physical health employ unique competencies called health psychology competencies. However, internationally and in Singapore, health psychology competencies presently remain variably defined. Aims: We gathered expert consensus opinion through the Delphi method to identify key health psychology competencies valued by local experts (n=24). 28 competencies emerged in the domains of Assessment, Intervention and Multidisciplinary Work. Through secondary qualitative analyses, we explored why locally-practicing experts might appraise the importance of key health psychology competencies differently than their international counterparts. Conclusions/ Implications: Results provide us with initial structures to guide education and training of entry-level psychologists and clarify the role of psychologists and their distinctive expertise within multidisciplinary teams. It is our hope that these results be used to improve the quality and capacity of psychological services in integrated care to holistically serve the complex needs of the many clients who present with physical health concerns and other comorbidities in Singapore.