Beginning in 2001, ASPPB transitioned the EPPP to a computer-administered format, which is now the prevalent mode of assessment in the vast majority of U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions.
This initiative's stated aim is to establish a standardized, multi-part assessment for evaluating clinical skills required for entry-level practice.
The goal was to move away from relying solely on graduate program evaluations and non-standardized measures such as oral examinations.
The ASPPB has announced that the exam is scheduled to become a mandatory component of licensing requirements for all jurisdictions currently utilizing the EPPP starting on January 1, 2026.
Criterion-related evidence is of limited applicability because credentialing examinations are not intended to predict individual performance in a specific job but rather to provide evidence that candidates have acquired the knowledge, skills, and judgment required for effective performance, often in a wide variety of jobs or settings (we use the term judgment to refer to the applications of knowledge and skill to particular situations).
175-176).” The process of test development and validation for the EPPP involves a number of steps, all consistent with the Standards[9] and with the expectations of credentialing organizations such as the Council on Licensure, Enforcement & Regulation (CLEAR).
[10] The process begins with a job task analysis (JTA),[11] which is a comprehensive study that involves psychologists who are subject matter experts (SMEs) to establish the knowledge and skills that are required for psychology practice.
The committee includes at least 10 SMEs who are psychologists with particular expertise in each of the domains on the exam and who represent various areas of psychology practice and training.
The data are analyzed to determine the appropriate pass point which represents the minimal knowledge or skills required for entry level practice.
These multiple levels of review by psychologists and the ongoing analysis of psychometric data ensures that the EPPP is accurate, relevant, valid, and legally defensible.
Negative predictors of EPPP score included: Rate of admittance, U.S. News & World Report Rank, and % of minorities in the program.
[17] Further, a recent study of 4,892 doctoral-level applicants found significant differences in failure rate according to ethnicity (i.e., Blacks = 38.50%; Hispanics = 35.60%; Asians = 24.00%; Whites = 14.07%).