Character and Fitness Requirements for Professional Psychologists: An Examination of State Licensing Application Forms.

How do state licensing boards currently evaluate candidates for licensure along the dimensions of moral character and psychological fitness? An examination of application materials from all 50 states and the District of Columbia revealed marked heterogeneity with respect to explicit screening for character and fitness indicators. There appears to be minimal consensus regarding those elements of a candidate's previous experience that should be scrutinized prior to licensure. The authors highlight the frequency of character and fitness items across applications and ancillary licensure materials and conclude with several recommendations for licensing boards, national associations, and directors of training programs.