American Academy of Couple and Family Psychology

Introduction

The American Academy of Couple and Family Psychology (AACFP) is the specialty organization for family psychologists that works with the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) with respect to the diplomate process and board certification in the specialization of family psychology. The actual group that issues certifications and diplomates in family psychology is the American Board of Couple and Family Psychology (ABCFP). The AACFP works closely with the ABCFP as well as the Society for Couple and Family Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association. This report focuses on the AACFP, its origins, structure, and goals with respect to family psychologists.

In the late 1950s at the American Psychological Association (APA), the Academy of Psychologists in Marriage Counseling was formed. The 1960s and 1970s saw the growth of theoretical orientations and training institutes in couple and family therapy. In 1984, APA added the Division of Family...