Re: [#DIV28SUPER] Fwd: just posted....

I agree that there is a way in which the dueling petitions is a bit silly. It has us looking at the wrong things, and arguing about the wrong things.  But, it does also reflect emotional reactions (from different sources), which is worth reflecting on. 

The 45,000 number is misleading, as some on the Division 39 listserve have acknowledged.  Many signatures are from general members of the "public" and not from psychologists, APA members, or even mental health professionals.  I do not know what public listserves it went up on about a week ago and suddenly pushed the numbers from several thousands to over 27,000 and then over 45,000.  Someone on the Div 39 listserve estimated that 4,000 signatures were from APA members (in 39 as well as other Divisions) and maybe another thousand or two from non-APA member psychologists and a few from other mental health professionals.  Some have argued that the "public" signatures represent a statement of more general "public opinion." -- which should be considered in some way.

I am sure that people signed one or the other petition for many and varied reasons.  The challenge here is to make reason and logic the core issue.  What do we know, and what do we know from various sources and levels of data?  Fighting and name-calling will not advance high quality psychological services.  Thoughtful reflection and summaries of what we know and do not know -- and how well that does or does not map onto the clinical needs presented by the American public is what we need to stay focused on.   Gary

On Sat, Mar 3, 2018 at 9:26 AM, Sher, Kenneth <SherK@missouri.edu> wrote:

Forwarding because, in my opinion, the development of clinical practice guidelines is the most valuable activity that APA has attempted in decades. To "roll them back" (and put a damper on those that are forthcoming) would be a scar on the APA and a major setback for the profession. While I think the whole "petition thing" is silly...these are issues for informed debate...not a popularity contest. However, I do think that it useful to demonstrate that support for the guidelines effort is broader and deeper than is characterized in the note Mitch Prinstein forwarded. Consequently, I hope you sign the "pro guidelines" petition.

Kenny

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Prinstein, Mitch" <mitch.prinstein@UNC.EDU>
Date: March 3, 2018 at 8:10:43 AM CST
To: <SSCPNET@LISTSERV.IT.NORTHWESTERN.EDU>
Subject: just posted....
Reply-To: "Prinstein, Mitch" <mitch.prinstein@UNC.EDU>

The following quote comes from a post to several listservs…..

 

"The petition opposing the APA PTSD guidelines has over 45,000 signatures, and the number of signatures has been increasing daily.  The Petition supporting them has 1700 signatures, and that number has basically been unchanged since the first few days it came out.  If the number of signatories is representative of our profession, for every person who supports the guidelines, there are over  25 who oppose them.  Those who beat the drum for "evidence based therapy" are NOT representative of psychologists' views.  They are a tiny minority, but they make the most noise and have completely dominated dialog - in APA, in health insurance policy, in public policy - for decades. Our field has been hijacked by a tiny and highly non-representative minority, who have managed to consume virtually all the oxygen there is."

 

If you disagree, I hope you have:

1. signed the pro-guidelines petition - https://www.thepetitionsite.com/780/537/970/support-the-apa-ptsd-treatment-guidelines/
2. and forwarded the link to every human you know with strong encouragement to vote
3. Surely, everyone on this list, every faculty member, and every graduate student, every psychologist involved in training, and everyone among our professional colleagues totals more than 1700 people….right?

 

 

 

 

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