What competencies are required for becoming an effective psychologist?

For becoming an effective psychologists, following competences are essential:

(a) General Skills (b) Observational Skills (c) Specific Skills

(a) General Skills:

• General skills are essential for all professional psychologists.

• These skills include personal as well as intellectual skills.

• Once ensuring that a student has these skills subsequent training in his/ her area of specializations to him/her intellectual and personal skill are as follows:

Interpersonal Skills: Ability to listen and be empathic. It may be verbal or nonverbal.

• Cognitive:

— Ability to solve problems

— Having curiosity and flexibility

• Affective Skills:

— Openness to ideas

— Agreeableness

— Honesty

• Expressive skills: Ability to communicate in verbal and non-verbal form.

• Reflective Skills:

— Intrapersonal intelligence

— Ability to examine own motives, attitude and behaviour.

• Personal skills:

— Personal hygiene

— Time management

(b) Observational Skills:

Psychologists should have training in objectives and systematic observation.

• They should have skill to observe various aspects of surrounding including people and varying events.

• Psychologists should engage in observing people and their actions with following precautions:

— Patience.

— Optimistic curiosity.

— Respecting clients privacy.

— Awareness of people reactions, emotions and motivation.

— Training good questions which could be answered during observation.

(c) If the psychologist wants to work in a specialized field then professional training in specific skill development is essential.

The main specific skills are as follows:

(a) communication skills

(b) Psychological testing skill

(c) Interviewing skill

(d) Counselling skill