Chapter 1: What is Clinical Psychology?
September 10, 2012
8:42 PM
Psychology - a science as opposed to a pseudoscience.
There are a number of key issues:
1. Balance
2. Training
3. Theoretical approaches
4. Culture
Clinical psychology:
• There is a wide range of activity
○ Research
○ Theory
○ Assessment
○ Treatment
• Part of a larger discipline
○ Most popular sub-discipline
• Ideological
Definitions of Clinical Psychology
1. APA:
a. 3 basic activities: science, theory and proactive
b. 3 purposes: understand, predict, alleviate, promote (maladjustment, disorder, discomfort)
c. 5 areas:
Intellectual
Emotional
Biological
Psychological
Social behaviour
d. 3 levels:
Adapation
Adjustment
Personal development
2. CPA: practice and research have a reciprocal relationship - broader descriptions exist with more detailed
activities and principles (e.g. human welfare and professional conduct).
Personal Requirements to Be a Clinical Psychologist
1. Clinical attitude (research and problem oriented):
○ Nomothetic: seek causes and problem oriented.
○ Idiographic: see the individual.
2. Personal character (enduring consequences)
○ Honesty (self and other).
○ Integrity (ordered, principled).
○ Emotional stability (empathy, transference and countertransference)
This is necessary due to the interpersonal work that characterizes clinical psychology, as patients
are vulnerable.
Legal, Educational and Ethical Requirements to Be a Clinical Psychologist
The psychologist must be "honest" and can't be objective.
1. Legal
○ Licensure regulations vary.
Regulated at different levels of government (state/province, etc.)
2. Educational requirements:
○ Accredited program (PhD or PsyD)
○ Hours of supervised practice (course, internship and residency requirements, as well as post-doctorate
work).
○ Comprehensive exam(s).
○ Character clearance(s).
3. Code of Ethics
○ It is not universal… it's voluntary.
○ It pertains to confidentiality, training and boundaries… there is a daily impact. Clinical Psychology and Related Mental Health Professions
1. Counselling and School Psychologists
○ Training: similar, different emphasis - education in psychology required.
○ Work: Deal less with classical pathology -- more transitional issues.
○ Work Setting: School or private business.
○ Population: Children/adolescents/family.
2. Social Workers
○ Training: Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate in Social Work (specific programs)
○ Work:Therapy, more dealing with transitions and/or social adjustments.
○ Work Setting: courts, schools, prisons, family service agencies, etc.
○ Population: direct and systematic contacts.
3. Psychiatrists:
○ Training: medical degree (M.D.) with specialization - diagnosis and treatments, blood tests, etc.
○ Work: mostly diagnosis and prescriptive (little therapy).
○ Work Setting: hospitals, clinics an
More
Less
