Clarification Of Related Fields For the Board Of Examiners

[ABE Psychodrama]

This email is in response to several postings on the
topic of related fields. As the Executive Director of
the American Board of Examiners I would like to
clarify several of the issues that have emerged from
these postings. 

 The Board must discuss and review each “related
field” added to the approved list of related fields. 
As you can imagine, any addition to the list of
approved related fields takes time as the Board to
engages in a discussion of the pros or cons of adding
each suggested related field.  Whenever a person has
simply sent the Board a long list of “related fields”
for addition, the Board has tabled the request. 

Whenever a candidate for certification, however, has
specifically requested a “related field”, the Board
has reviewed and acted upon that request.  In order to
add a “related field” the candidate is asked to submit
a brief (1 or two page) summary of how that “related
field” meets the Board’s criteria for a related field.
 To the best of my knowledge, the Board has approved
each specific request for a “related field” that was
accompanied by a summary of relevance.

The criteria for a related field and a list of
approved related fields are included in both the CP
and the TEP Study Guides (available on our website
www.psychodramacertificaiton.org) under the heading
“The Written Examination.”

The term “related fields” refers to complete areas of
study, which are pertinent to psychodrama, sociodrama
and psychodramatic group work in the area of one’s
professional practice.  A related field must contain
the following:  A) A philosophy, B), A theory of
personality; C) A theory of Human Development; D) A
body of knowledge; E) Interventions techniques; and F)
A Research Base.

Please note that an individual’s invention of a new
psychodramatic technique is not a related field,
Sociodrama is not a related field.  Sociodrama is
within the same field as psychodrama.  Populations of
clients are not a related field of study (i.e. sex
addicts, alcoholics, etc.).  A discipline is not a
related field of study (i.e. social work, Art Therapy,
etc) is not a related field.  An entire domain (. i.e.
Education, Theater Family Therapy, Systems,
Organizational Development, etc) is not a rather
field, but rather, it encompasses several related
fields.

In recent history the Board has had several
discussions of the relevance of the area of “related
fields”.  However, there was never a consensus that
“related fields” was unnecessary.  At our last meeting
the Board tabled the discussion of this issue.  

Even if the Board of Directors voted to eliminate the
section of “related fields” from the written
examinations that would only be the first step.   
Only the membership can make changes in the
certification standards.  Therefore, in addition to
the Board of Directors approving a change, the
membership, by a majority vote of those voting, would
have to approve any changes in the certification
standards.

I hope this addresses the issues of the topic of
“related fields.”  The Board is having an election of
new Board Directors in March.  The Board welcomes all
certified psychodramatists who have time, energy and
the willingness to serve to stand for election.  A
notice of the upcoming elections and how to file for
election will be included in the December issue of the
Board Newsletter.  All certified psychodramatists who
wish to stand for election and who submit the required
election statements are automatically placed on the
ballot.



Dale Richard Buchanan, Ph.D., T.E.P.
Executive Director, American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy
202-483-0514
abepsychodrama at yahoo.com
www.psychodramacertification.org


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