Affiliation:
School of Education, Barbados
Short bio:
Professor Donna-Maria Maynard is a Professor of Psychology in the School of Education and a Registered Clinical Psychologist. She has provided counselling and psychological support services at secondary schools and the Barbados Community College. Prof. Maynard has over 20 years of experience in university teaching, training, and providing clinical supervision for psychologists and counsellors. She has written numerous scholarly articles on youth identity development, psychological assessment and psycho-educational issues affecting students and teachers. Professor Maynard’s teaching and research interests span overlapping strands ofclinical, counselling, and educational psychology with an emphasis on children and adolescents, identity development, learning disabilities, mental illness, sexuality, psychoeducational assessment, and issues affecting students and teachers. She is a Past President of the Barbados Society of Psychology, a founding member of the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Associations and a member of the American Psychological Association. Professor Maynard has written numerous peer-reviewed publications and is currently guest editor of a special issue of the Caribbean Journal of Psychology, themed Mental Health in the Caribbean: Resiliency, thriving and positive psychology. Professor Maynard has been awarded for Excellence in Research and for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning.
Title:
Advancing Psychology in the Caribbean: Integrating Practice, Research and Ethics
Abstract:
A robust training framework that integrates practice, research, and ethical considerations is needed for the growth of Psychology in the English-speaking Caribbean. Limited clinical supervision and research engagement by practicing psychologists hinder the field’s growth. Specialization, to strengthen the integrity and efficacy of psychological research and practice, is essential. Over the past twenty years, the establishment of professional psychological associations in the English-speaking Caribbean and the adoption of codes of ethical conduct, often drawn from international standards (e.g., APA), have sought to address some of the concerns raised. However, the introduction of postgraduate psychology programmes in the region, often developed without consultation with professional psychological associations, has led to a fragmentation of standards and practices. The intersectionality of practice, research, and ethics is central to addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by Caribbean psychologists. A new organising framework, with emphasis on responsiveness, accountability, integration, support, and education in fostering ethical practice will be discussed It outlines four key components: expertise, training in clinical supervision, accessibility, and usage that work towards establishing a more cohesive and ethically grounded psychological profession in the region. It suggests creating a pool of supervisors by offering training to existing experienced psychologists in exchange for commitment to provide clinical supervision and engage in continuing professional development. Research integrated by incorporating journaling of supervision-experience reflections and programme evaluations. These psychologists can pursue the Research Advancing Intensive Supervision Education (RAISE) doctorate, where their research skills are honed and their output informs professional practice, elevating standards in Caribbean psychology and addressing the region’s mental health needs through this transitional pathway from Master’s to PhD training. In summary, the RAISE model promotes ethical practice by prioritizing responsiveness to cultural contexts, fostering accountability, integrating ethics into all aspects of professional activity, providing support for decision-making, and emphasizing ongoing education and professional development in research and ethics.