News and Announcements

In this issue, the news section contains contributions from Germany, Slovenia, and Denmark. The Federation of German Psychologists Associations reports on a parliamentary evening aimed at improving the quality of psychological expert opinion. The Slovenian Psychologists’ Association organized activities and monthly meetings covering diverse topics. The Danish Psychological Association informs about their new maganzine called “P,” first launched in August 2015.

Germany

(NNC: Christoph Steinbach)

On Wednesday, December 2, 2015, the Federation of German Psychologists Associations (DGPs and the forensic psychology section of the BDP) invited to a parliamentary evening on “Quality standards of expert opinion in family matters.” Numerous members of the German parliament as well as representatives of the ministries, science, and practice followed the invitation to discuss the now available minimum standards as well as further legislative activities.

In recent years, many controversial verdicts and studies brought discussions about the quality of expert opinion into the focus of both the media and the political public. With their coalition contract, the ruling parties in Germany agreed upon “improving the quality of expert opinion, especially in the sector of family law, in collaboration with professional institutions.”

The invited keynote speakers, Prof. Gabriele Britz, judge at the German Federal Constitutional Court, Prof. Max Steller, retired professor of forensic psychology, and Dr. Axel Bötticher, retired judge at the German Federal Court of Justice, commented on the topic from different angles.

In their introductory addresses, Dr. Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, correspondent for family law of the Christian democrat CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Dr. Johannes Fechner, spokesman on law and politics of the social democrat SPD fraction, and Dr. Stefanie Hubig, undersecretary of state in the Federal Ministry, welcomed the new minimum requirements for expert opinion in family law.

On September 16, 2015, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection presented a ministerial draft bill for the alteration of the law concerning experts at court as well as further alterations of the law on causes of the family court (FamFG). The draft law is now in the parliamentary process.

Dr. Anja Kannegießer, leading organizer of the consensus finding process, came to a positive conclusion on the parliamentary evening: “Tonight has shown once again the importance of interdisciplinary exchange. As psychological experts for courts, we work at the junction with law and need knowledge about requirements and contents of other areas of expertise. We are especially happy that the positive meaning and impact of expert opinion in the judiciary has also been emphasized. After all, this will contribute to finding good solutions for families and especially for children.”

“The evening was a complete success,” sums up Prof. Andrea Abele-Brehm, President of the Federation of German Psychologists Associations and the DGPs. “We were able to unite the different perspectives on the debate about quality standards. We are especially glad about the consensus of all speakers that different sides have to be taken into account to assure quality: Experts need sufficient qualification and their neutrality has to be proven. At the same time, judges must be qualified to choose suitable experts, assess expert opinion, and integrate the expert opinion in the judicial decision-making process.”

Slovenia

(NNC: Vesna Mlinarič Lešnik)

In recent months, the Slovenian Psychologists’ Association (SPA) has organized monthly professional meetings on the topics “Insights from the European Congress of Psychology,” “Coaching,” and “Psychological aspects of pain.” SPA has also been active in coordinating and educating psychologists concerning psychosocial help for refugees.

The conference of the project SUPER PSIHOLOG (Supervised practice of psychologists: Development of a training program for mentors and a model of supervised practice) was also held successfully.

Denmark

(NNC: Ulrikke Moustgaard)

Mental health and well-being are topics gaining increasing attention in the public and political arenas in Denmark. For this reason, the Danish Psychological Association (Dansk Psykolog Forening) has launched a new monthly magazine called “P” as a part of the Association’s strategic aim to raise public awareness about psychology, human well-being, mental health, and the crucial role of psychologists in this field.

The magazine replaces the former publication of the Danish Psychological Association, which has served members since 1956 with profession- and organization-related news, as well as content primarily based on member’s contributions.

The new magazine covers a diverse range of topics from the areas of politics, society, science, research, culture, ethics, professionalism, and more from the perspective of psychology, and is based on the principles of professional journalism, news values, and investigative reporting. The aim is to address a wider audience: not only Danish psychologists, but also decision-makers, politicians, and the public.

The first edition came out in August, 2015, and the strategy has been successful so far. Several stories from the magazine have hit the mainstream media and gained public attention, and the new approach has been largely embraced by members of the Danish Psychological Association.

In 2016 and onwards, the magazine wants to establish an editorial cooperation between EFPA member states magazines, if possible. Interested editors are encouraged to contact the Danish editor, Ulrikke Moustgaard, at: ulm@dp.dk

For regular news updates, please visit the journal’s website and the EFPA facebook page!