Representation & Measurement of Gender & Gender Identity of Psychology Trainees over Time: Analysis of the APPIC Internship Applicant Survey Data

We used the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) survey data to analyze representation and trends in representation over time as it relates to psychology trainees’ genders and gender identities. From 2005 to 2021, the pre-doctoral internship applicant population was approximately four-fifths female and one-fifth male, with female representation increasing over time and male representation decreasing over time. The representation of applicants reporting gender identities outside of the gender binary (e.g., transgender, non-binary, genderqueer) increased over time, from about 0.1% to 2.5%. The available answer choices for transgender and non-binary gender identities also increased over time, resulting in better, more nuanced measurement of gender minority identities among psychology trainees. Implications and suggestions for faculty and supervisors as well as future research are discussed.