Analysis of professional standards: normative model of professional activity of psychologist (part 1)

Context and relevance. In the absence of a unified federal law on psychological assistance, professional standards serve as the primary regulator of psychologists' activities. However, the disparity of standards adopted over the years complicates understanding the normative content of the profession, creating the risk of formalism in the training and employment of specialists. Objective. To analyze the content of professional standards as a set of idealized notions of activity and to define the normative model they propose. Hypothesis. Existing professional standards vary in the elements of their activity system (from the breadth of coverage of clients' psychological problems to the demands placed on the individual and the environment) and reflect the internal contradictions of the profession, particularly between its declared subjectivity and the strict regulation of procedures. Methods and materials. We used J. Engeström's activity system model, which allows us to identify the following elements of activity: object (client problems), tools (methods), rules (regulatory framework), division of labor (interaction), community, and subject. The empirical base consisted of 15 current professional standards, selected based on their relevance to the psychological field. Results. A lack of a unified terminological and functional framework was established: widespread types of activities (diagnosis, counseling, development) have been identified, while psychotherapy, supervision and expertise remain in the "gray zone". The tendency towards universality of activities in a number of standards has been revealed, as opposed to narrowly functional administration in others. Conclusions. The normative model of a psychologist's activity in Russia is characterized by high variability and systemic gaps: specialists in different fields are characterized by accents on different elements of activity.

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