Chapter 1: The Evolution of Clinical Psychology
Chapter 1 – The Evolution of Clinical Psychology Chapter Overview A strong foundation of knowledge is the cornerstone for mastering a subject. Chapter 1 provides the foundation for the next fourteen chapters by defining key terminology and presenting notable facts about mental illness. The chapter explores the issue of evidence-based psychology and the issue of overreliance on science. Students are introduced to the various professions within the field and potential career options. A brief, yet thorough history of clinical psychology, assessment, intervention, and prevention is presented.
Chapter Contents •
Introduction
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Defining the Nature and Scope of Clinical Psychology
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Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology
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Mental Health Professions ▪
Counseling Psychology
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School Psychology
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Psychiatry
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Clinical Social Work
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Other Mental Health Professions
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Availability of Mental Health Service Providers
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A Brief History of Clinical Psychology ▪
The Roots of Clinical Psychology
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The History of Assessment in Clinical Psychology
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The History of Intervention in Clinical Psychology
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The History of Prevention in Clinical Psychology
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The Future
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Summary and Conclusions
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Chapter 1: The Evolution of Clinical Psychology
Learning Objectives 1. What are the various mental disorders and the prevalence rates in America? 2. How does mental illness impact daily functioning, the economy, and communities? 3. What is clinical psychology? What are its limitations? 4. Why is evidence-based practice beneficial and why do some disagree about its usefulness? 5. Define and discuss the various mental health professions and career opportunities. 6. What is the availability of mental service providers across the world? 7. What are the roots of clinical psychology? 8. How has assessment played a vital role in clinical psychology? 9. Who are the major figures in assessment? 10. Define and discuss the history of intervention in clinical psychology. 11. What are the various forms of psychotherapy? 12. Describe the history of prevention in clinical psychology. 13. What does the future hold for clinical psychology?
Up for Discussion 1. Are mental health problems as serious as physical health problems? 2. Think about the challenges and stressors that you have faced and faced by those you care about. Can you identify the things that made your distress worse? On the other hand, what helped you in dealing with difficulties? 3. Do you think it is responsible to offer services that have no evidence of effectiveness? When effective treatments exist, it is reasonable to continue to offer services of undocumented effectiveness? If you were advising a friend to seek services, would you suggest looking for services
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Chapter 1: The Evolution of Clinical Psychology
that have been shown to be helpful for similar problems? If not, then why not? 4. In what ways is clinical psychology similar to other mental health professions? 5. In what ways has scientific thinking shaped the evolution of clinical psychology?
Out-of-Class Activities 1. Have students visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website (http://www.nami.org/) and research topics such as stigma, the various disorders, the purpose of NAMI, and what information they could share with others. 2. Ask students to consider what the impact of mental illness, such as depression or an anxiety disorder) would be on their own life. Ask them to write a one-page discussion on their feelings, concerns, and questions. You may expand this as a multiple week project or full semester project and require students to keep a journal about their particular illness. The purpose is to help students gain awareness and understanding not only of the complexities of the disorder but the impact on all aspects of their lives. 3. Ask students to visit various websites on assessments such as MultiHealth Systems, Western Psychological Services, and Pearson Assessments to gain an understanding of the complexity and large array of tests available. Have students discuss the various qualifications needed to administer these tests and tie into the various health professions. 4. Ask students to develop a plan for reducing homelessness for the mentally ill. Students should consider cost, feasibility, urban versus rural areas, various disorders, as well as community impact.
Web Links The website of the Canadian Psychological Association provides information on the diverse sections of psychology, accreditation, and licensure: www.cpa.ca
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Chapter 1: The Evolution of Clinical Psychology
The website of the American Psychological Association includes information related to the sciences and practice of psychology: www.apa.org Psychologist Kenneth Pope’s website provides resources on ethics, intervention, and critical thinking: www.kspope.com The website for the National Institute of Mental Health provides information on diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders: www.nimh.nih.gov The website of the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides clinical guidance on health issues: www.nice.org.uk
Suggested Readings Barlow, D. H. (Ed.). (2011). Oxford handbook of clinical psychology. New York: Oxford University press.
Cautin, R. L., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (Eds). 2015. Encyclopedia of psychology. Hoboken, NJ. Wiley-Blackwell.
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Chapter 2: Contemporary Clinical Psychology
Chapter 2 – Contemporary Clinical Psychology Chapter Overview Clinical psychology is one of the most popular professions in psychology, and the one for which most people are familiar with when you mention psychology. The public typically assumes clinical psychologists provide only one-on-one therapy with patients and clients; however, we know that clinical psychologists provide a wide array of services such as assessment, consultation, research, teaching, supervision, and administrative duties. As the field is diverse, so are the theoretical orientations of clinical psychologists as well as the training programs. This chapter provides students with an overview of the state-of-the-field in clinical psychology. It offers the opportunity for students to broaden their scope and consider new directions for their academic as well as career pursuits. The three profiles of actual clinical psychologists give students a real-world taste of clinical psychology in an honest, unbiased fashion.
Chapter Contents •
Introduction
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Activities of Clinical Psychologists ▪
Assessment and Diagnosis
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Intervention
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Prevention
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Consultation
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Research
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Teaching and Supervision
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Administration
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Employment Settings
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The Two Pillars of Clinical Psychology: Science and Ethics
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Training in Clinical Psychology ▪
Models of Training in Clinical Psychology
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Accreditation of Clinical Psychology Programs
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Chapter 2: Contemporary Clinical Psychology
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Licensure in Clinical Psychology
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Summary and Conclusions
Learning Objectives 1. What are the major professional activities of clinical psychologists? 2. What is the major diagnostic system in the United States? 3. What are the various forms of interventions? 4. Describe the various theoretical orientations of clinical psychologists. 5. Generally speaking, what do prevention activities tend to focus on? 6. Describe the role of a consultation psychologist. 7. Discuss the role of professors of clinical psychology in teaching and supervision. 8. What is the difference between clinical supervision and research supervision? 9. Describe the administrative activities of the clinical psychologist. 10. Discuss the various work settings in which clinical psychologists might be employed. 11. How do ethics play a role in every aspect of a psychologist’s career? 12. Discuss the issues of stress in a psychologist’s life. 13. What are the various models of training in clinical psychology? 14. Why is accreditation of a clinical psychology program important? 15. How does a clinical psychologist obtain licensure?
Up for Discussion 1. To what extent do you think you would welcome the challenge of conducting psychological assessments? What would you find most interesting about assessment activities? Are you the kind of person who enjoys addressing questions by gathering and integrating diverse data?
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