2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 103 - Board of Examiners of Psychologists (§§ 3201 — 3221) › § 3202 - Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms or phrases shall have the meanings expressed herein:
(a) Board. — Means the Board of Examiners of Psychologists, created by virtue of this chapter.
(b) Accredited university, college or study center. — Means any university, college or study center accredited by the Council on Higher Education of Puerto Rico when they are located in Puerto Rico, or by any accrediting institution of a similar status, or by the American Psychology Association, or by the Board created by this chapter, when located outside of Puerto Rico; and which offers a graduate study program in psychology leading to a master’s and/or doctor’s degree.
(c) Practice of psychology. — Is defined as, but not limited to, the offering of any service to individuals, groups, organizations, institutions or to the public that includes the diagnosis, the application of principles, methods and procedures to understand, predict, influence or alter behavior.
Among the principles are included those pertinent to learning, perception, motivation, thoughts, psychosomatic reactions, interpersonal and group relations.
Methods and procedures include: interviews, consultations, the construction and/or administration and/or interpretation of tests of mental abilities, aptitudes, personality traits, psychophysiological traits, emotions and motivation.
The evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of emotional, mental and/or nervous disorders or disfunctions and/or group disfunctions, psychotherapy, behavior modification, behavior therapy, biofeedback techniques, marriage, educational and vocational counseling. Personnel selection, counseling and management; evaluation, planning and consulting for optimum work and study conditions. Social relations, organizational development, group dynamics and the solution of social, interpersonal or group conflicts.
(d) Psychologist. — Means any person with a master’s or doctor’s degree in psychology from a university, college, or study center, as defined in subsection (b) of this section.
(e) After eleven (11) years starting from the effective date of this act, any person who aspires to taking the revalidation examination or examinations offered by the Board to acquire a psychologist’s license must present attesting evidence to said accreditation Board that the person holds a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D.), specialized in Clinical Psychology, or a Master’s degree in Arts (M.A.) or Science (M.S.), with a specialization in Social, Industrial Organizational, Investigative Academic, School, Educational Psychology, and Psychological Counselling, or any other specialization offered at a university, college or accredited study center as said term is defined in subsection (b) of this section.
To such effects, the Board shall define the various areas of specialization, and the academic studies, experience and supervised practice requirements that must be completed by every psychologist in order to practice each area of specialization.
(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as an attempt to prevent that members of other professions, who are duly licensed by the laws of Puerto Rico, nor persons who are duly qualified through their training and/or experience, may render services consistent with their license or area of their qualifications, provided they do not introduce themselves before the public with the title of psychologist, or describe their work in terms that suggest training, experience or competence in psychology.
(g) Revalidation examination. — Is defined as one of the requirements needed to obtain a psychologist’s license in Puerto Rico, which measures the level of cognitive competence, aptitudes and skills needed to practice said profession in Puerto Rico.
History —June 4, 1983, No. 96, p. 246, § 2; Dec. 13, 1990, No. 47, p. 1591, § 1.