Occupationally Mandated Psychological Evaluations

Publication Date: February 24, 2017
Last Updated: March 14, 2022

Guideline Statements

Preparing for an OMPE

  • Statement 1: Psychologists strive to understand the referring party’s authority for mandating the evaluation and the legitimacy of a particular referral, prior to conducting the evaluation.
  • Statement 2: In addressing the referral question(s), psychologists endeavor to apply the criterion standard as defined by statutory, regulatory, administrative, and/or other authoritative sources.
  • Statement 3: Psychologists seek to understand the psychologically relevant demands and working conditions of the examinee’s position.
  • Statement 4: Psychologists strive to support conclusions about the job-relevance of a psychological condition with established scientific and professional knowledge.
  • Statement 5: Psychologists endeavor to understand and meet their responsibilities to the referral source, the examinee, and other relevant parties to the evaluation.
  • Statement 6: Psychologists are mindful of the importance of maintaining competence when carrying out all phases of the evaluation.

Conducting an OMPE

  • Statement 7: Psychologists strive to ensure their impartiality when conducting occupationally mandated evaluations, as well as when forming their opinions.
  • Statement 8: Psychologists seek to select and rely on assessment tools validated for use with a population appropriate to the evaluation.
  • Statement 9: Psychologists endeavor to recognize individual and group differences, and the importance of practicing with cultural competence.
  • Statement 10: Psychologists strive to use multiple sources of relevant and reliable information collected according to established principles and methods.

Communicating OMPE Findings

  • Statement 11: Psychologists strive to provide opinions and make recommendations that are directly relevant to the referral question(s).
  • Statement 12: Psychologists seek to document the bases for their opinion(s) in language that is clear and appropriate to the targeted audience.
  • Statement 13: When the referral source or another party is responsible for determining the ultimate issue in a referral, psychologists strive to educate and inform rather than answer the ultimate issue.

Recommendation Grading

Overview

Title

Occupationally Mandated Psychological Evaluations

Authoring Organizations

Publication Month/Year

February 24, 2017

Last Updated Month/Year

January 17, 2024

Supplemental Implementation Tools

Document Type

Guideline

External Publication Status

Published

Country of Publication

US

Document Objectives

Educate and inform the practice of psychologists who conduct OMPEs, as well as to stimulate debate and research.

Inclusion Criteria

Female, Male, Adult, Older adult

Health Care Settings

Ambulatory

Intended Users

Psychologist, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant

Scope

Assessment and screening

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D004651 - Employment

Keywords

pre-employment exam, occupational exam, psychological evaluations

Source Citation

American Psychological Association. (2017, February 24). Professional practice guidelines for occupationally mandated psychological evaluations. http://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/psychological-evaluations