October 2026 | Newsletter Updates
Call for Proposal Reviewers | Call for Proposals | Grand Rounds | Grants | Assessment Throwdown | Ballot | C/TA Student Grant | Membership Renewals | Community Events & News | Job Postings
Call for Proposal Reviewers
Deadline is on October 6
As a reviewer, you’ll play a vital role in shaping a high-quality program that truly benefits our attendees. Your expertise helps ensure every session meets the highest standards of excellence.
No need to attend the convention to volunteer! Your insights are valuable from wherever you are.
Call for Convention Proposals
Multiple Deadlines
We're are now accepting all convention proposal formats for our 2027 SPA Convention. We encourage everyone to submit a proposal and help create an engaging experience for the entire SPA community. Please make sure to login using your SPA credentials first to submit your proposal properly.
Deadlines:
- Convention Programming (Symposium, Papers, Roundtable Discussions, Case Discussions, & Deep Dives): October 6
- Posters: November 8
Grand Rounds
Our FREE Grand Rounds webinar series for SPA members returns this September with a new lineup of expert-led presentations designed to meet the evolving educational and training needs of the personality assessment community.
Mark your calendars and stay tuned. Registration is open!
- October 7: The Detached Patient: Contrasting Dynamics of Schizoid and Avoidant Personality Styles
- November 4: Conducting Psychological Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations for Law Enforcement Officers
- December 2: Using the MMPI-3 in Presurgical Psychological Evaluations of Persons Seeking Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
SPA Grants
Deadline is October 14, 2026
SPA Grants provide funding to support innovative research that advances the science and practice of personality assessment. Whether you're conducting dissertation research or pursuing projects that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, SPA offers funding opportunities to help move your work forward.
Assessment Throwdown Live Competition
October 15 | 7:00 pm–9:00 pm ET
The Assessment Throwdown is for doctoral trainees in clinical, counseling, or school psychology to show off their assessment skills and knowledge and receive feedback from assessment experts in a welcoming, nonjudgmental, and fun atmosphere!
Join this live event where the finalists will compete with one another to win the grand prize of $400, complimentary registration for the 2027 Convention in Long Beach, and a travel stipend of up to $500!
Ballot
Deadline is on October 15
The ballot for the future SPA Representatives-at-Large is now open! It will be open for voting through October 15, 2026 at 11:59pm ET.
In order to vote, please fill out the ballot by clicking on 'Submit Your Ballot' below. Only ONE vote will be counted per membership. Please do not forward this link to anyone.
If you have any questions regarding this ballot, please contact our office at info@personality.org.
Collaborative/Therapeutic Assessment Student Research Grant
Deadline is on October 31
This grant is designed to support graduate student research that advances the scientific understanding, clinical application, or utility of Collaborative/Therapeutic Assessment models. We encourage submissions from students engaging in innovative research utilizing collaborative and therapeutic personality assessment paradigms.
Eligibility & Application Guidelines
Applicants must be current students in clinical, counseling, or school psychology (or a related field), and the proposed research must directly relate to Collaborative and/or Therapeutic Assessment. Detailed information, including application instructions, proposal requirements, guidelines, and application submission form, can be found here.
Membership Renewals
Deadline is on December 31
Your SPA membership is coming to an end soon. We hope you’ll continue to be part of that community in 2027.
As a SPA member, you’ll continue to have access to:
- Connect with colleagues through a community dedicated to personality and psychological assessment
- Explore research and resources that support your professional growth
- Save on events and continuing education throughout the year
- Apply for grants, awards, and scholarships available to eligible SPA members
- Stay connected to the field through SPA programs, publications, and learning opportunities
We’d love to welcome you back for another year of learning, connection, and collaboration with SPA.
Community Events & News
Book Release
Handbook of Multicultural Assessment by Dr. Lisa Suzuki and Dr. Radhika Krishnamurthy: This book overs the most current assessment information in a variety of psychological and educational domains, focusing specifically on multicultural and diverse populations, including recent immigrants and refugees. Click on the links to learn more and purchase from Wiley or Amazon.
Survey
- Survey: The goal of this study is to estimate associations between DSM-IV/5 personality disorders and PID-5 maladaptive trait domains and facets. The study has been preregistered on OSF, click here to complete the survey.
Other News
- Joint Letter: APA coordinated a letter that was sigened by many researchers, educators, and acadmics of the United States regarding the continued decline in public trust in scientists. A copy of the letter can be found here: https://unitedsciencealliance.org