foundations from the Foundation
foun•da•tion noun a basis upon which something stands or is supported
The field of Rehabilitation Psychology arose from the multiple schools of thought that were present or emerged in the first half of the 20th century. The founders of the Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and the scholars who sought to understand the psychology of disability are the foundation upon which our specialty was built. Their scholarly writing provides a historical context for how the field conceptualizes issues today.
The Board of Directors of the Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology thought that current students and professionals in the field might find interest in some of the early writings of the psychologists whose writings have provided the theoretical underpinning for the specialty of Rehabilitation Psychology. As a service to the field, board members will periodically highlight published work by these Rehabilitation Psychology pioneers. For those interested in reading the original publication, PDF links are posted below. We hope to strengthen the field by linking the present with our rich past.
Andrews, Erin E., Pilarski, Carrie R., Ayers, Kara, Dunn, Dana S. (2023).
Advocacy: The Seventh Foundational Principle and Core Competency of Rehabilitation Psychology
Rehabilitation Psychology, Vol 68(2), 103-111
This article was selected by Dr. Terrie Price, PhD, who has this to say about the piece: “This article posits a substantial expansion of the Foundational Principles rooted in the writings of Beatric Wrigh, Tamara Dembo and Roger Baker from 1972. The current reviews the history and expansion of the Foundational Principles through the years. Noting that advocacy is also deeply rooted in rehabilitation psychology and an identified area of competency in practice. Advocacy models are promoted in psychology and internationally as noted through the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities international treaty of the United Nations. In perspective, the field of rehabilitation psychology is challenged to embrace the broader approach to advocacy impacting individuals, institutions, research, practice and policy. The authors’ analysis of our core values and competencies succinctly delineates advocacy as an organic component of the foundational principles.”
We were unable to provide direct access to the article; the abstract can be found here, where the article is available for purchase.
Judith (Judy) Heumann, MPH (1947-2023)
Heumann, Judith. Being Heumann large print edition: An unrepentant memoir of a disability rights activist. Beacon Press, 2020.
PDF of the article
Roger G. Barker, PhD (1903-1990)
Barker, R. G. (1943). Psychological aspects of rehabilitation. Psychological Bulletin, 40(6), 451-453.
PDF of the article
Tamara Dembo, PhD (1902-1993)
Dembo, T. (1964). Sensitivity of One Person to Another. Rehabilitation Literature, 25(8), 231-235.
PDF of the article
Edward Taub, PhD (1931-)
Taub, E., Miller, N. E., Novack, T. A., Fleming, W. C., Nepomuceno, C. S., Connell, J. S., & Crago, J. E. (1993). Technique to improve chronic motor deficit after stroke. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 74(4), 347-354.
PDF of the article
Wilbert "Bill" Fordyce, PhD (1923-2009)
Fordyce, W. E., Fowler, R. S. Jr., Lehmann, J. F., Delateur, B. J., Sand, P. L., Trieschmann, R. B. (1973). Operant conditioning in the treatment of chronic pain. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 54(9), 399-408.
PDF of the article
Lee Meyerson, PhD (1920-2002)
Meyerson, L. (1948). Physical disability as a social psychological problem. Journal of Social Issues, 4(4), 2-10.
We were unable to obtain permission to reprint the original article; hence a summary of its content is presented here.
Dana S. Dunn, PhD
Dunn, D. S., & Burcaw, S. (2013). Disability identity: Exploring narrative accounts of disability. Rehabilitation Psychology, 58(2), 148–157.
Leonard Diller, PhD (1924–2019)
Diller, L. (1993). Cognitive Remediation in Traumatic Brain Injury: Update and Issues. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 74(2), 204-213.
Nancy Kerr, PhD (1933-2001)
Kerr, N. & Bodman, D.A. (1994). Disability Research Methods: An Argument for the Use of Galilean Modes of Thought in Disability Research. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 9(5), 99-122.
PDF of the article
Roberta B. Trieschmann, PhD (1939-)
Trieschmann, R. B. (1978-79). The role of the psychologist in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Paraplegia, 16, 212-219.
PDF of the article