Role of Psychologists

The American Psychological Association (APA) and individual psychologists have had a long history of involvement in matters related to psychological factors associated with abortion and in disseminating results

of research on abortion-related issues. In 1969, the APA Council of Representatives adopted a resolution that identified termination of unwanted pregnancies as a mental health and child welfare issue, resolving that termination of pregnancy be considered a civil right of the pregnant woman. In 1980, APA passed a resolution supporting the right to conduct scientific research on abortion. In 1989, APA passed a resolution to initiate a public awareness effort to correct the record on the scientific findings of abortion research, and appointed a panel of experts to review the best scientific studies of abortion outcomes. The report of this panel was published in I990 in Science.

Individual psychologists conduct crisis pregnancy counseling, help women and girls decide how to resolve an unwanted pregnancy, and counsel women who have had an abortion and who report associated distress. Psychological researchers conduct and disseminate research on attitudes toward abortion, psychological responses to abortion. and predictors of those responses. Psychologists also serve as expert witnesses in court cases dealing with abortion-related issues.