What is Rehabilitation Psychology?

Rehabilitation Psychology is a specialized area of psychology that applies psychological knowledge and principles to addressing the needs of individuals with chronic illness and disability. Working in diverse settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and community agencies, rehabilitation psychologists assist individuals in coping with and adjusting to a variety of chronic, traumatic, or congenital illnesses or injuries. Such illnesses and injuries may lead to a variety of physical, sensory, neurocognitive, emotional, or developmental disabilities. Rehabilitation psychologists work with a variety of individuals including those who have experienced spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, stroke, amputations, neuromuscular disorders, chronic pain, developmental disorders, impaired sensory functioning (e.g., hearing or vision loss), and many others. Rehabilitation psychologists also conduct leading edge research to further our understanding of the medical, psychological, and social contributions to disability.

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A Growing Field

Rehabilitation psychology is one of the fastest growing areas of health care. This is related to the fact that our population is aging, chronic conditions have replaced infectious disease as the main threat to health, and increased success in acute care has led to higher survival rates following traumatic injuries. It is estimated that 7% to 10% of the world's population has a disability.

More Info?

For additional information about the field of rehabilitation psychology please visit: Division 22 of the American Psychological Association.