Forty Years Of The Nigerian Psychological Association (1984-2024) In The Lens Of Wilensky’s Professionalization Framework

Abstract

This paper utilized the Wilensky (1964) five-stage structured framework of professionalization to assess how well the Nigerian Psychological Association (NPA) has guided the psychology profession in Nigeria toward becoming a recognized and authoritative profession in the past forty (1984-2024) years. The paper used the Wilensky’s 5-stage framework, including the emergence of a full-time occupation, establishment of training schools, formation of professional association, public recognition and legal support, and formal code of ethics, to specify NPA’s progress in the professionalization of the psychology profession in Nigeria. The analytical approach used in the paper indicated that the NPA made significant progress on the first three markers of Wilensky’s professionalization framework, but it still struggles on the fourth and fifth stages - legal support and formal code of ethics. The research concluded that the forty-year journey of NPA reflects significant progress toward the professionalization of the psychology profession in Nigeria. The challenges associated with the lack of statutory regulation and the weak enforcement of NPA’s code of conduct have made the psychology profession unable to achieve full occupational closure and/or attain full professionalization.