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Article
Professional Psychology Associations in the GCC: Positive Institutions Whose Time Has Come
Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology
  • Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg
  • Meg Warren, Western Washington University
  • Annie Crookes
  • Scott I. Donaldson
  • Dawn McBride
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2016
Keywords
  • Professional organizations,
  • positive ethics,
  • positive institutions,
  • positive psychology,
  • positive supervision
Abstract

Professional associations have a mandate to protect and regulate those members deemed qualified to provide mental health services to the public. This is accomplished through supervision and policing of practitioners’ conduct, informed by an understanding of the application of ethics. Yet, in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, many hurdles preclude the development and maintenance of professional organizations, such as a lack of understanding of the range of services available within psychology, little professional oversight and no legal mandate for it, as well as a disinterest in professionalizing the field. Yet, by adopting a positive psychology framework, the current view from a focus on wrongdoing to a more positive approach that encourages psychologists to reach a state of professional excellence, can be accomplished via the notion of positive supervision, positive ethics, and virtuousness as an organizational trait. We explore multiple ways for how this can be accomplished in the region.

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)
Professional associations--Professional ethics--Middle East; Professional associations--Supervision of--Middle East; Corporate governance--Middle East; Mental health personnel--Moral and ethical aspects--Middle East; Mental health personnel--Professional ethics--Middle East; Positive psychology
Subjects - Names (LCNAF)
Gulf Cooperation Council
Geographic Coverage
Middle East
Genre/Form
articles
Type
Text
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, Meg Warren, Annie Crookes, Scott I. Donaldson, et al.. "Professional Psychology Associations in the GCC: Positive Institutions Whose Time Has Come" Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology Vol. 2 Iss. 1 (2016) p. 61 - 78
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/meg-warren/9/