What is Clinical Psychology

Introduction to Clinical Psychology Discussion Section #1

Clinical Psychology is.

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Clinical Psychology.
is not limited to therapy and assessment Focus of this course: Review of assessment Review of therapies Review of additional roles in clinical psychology

American Psychological Association (APA)

1. Society for General Psychology 2. Society for the Teaching of Psychology 3. Experimental Psychology 4. There is no Division 4 [more info] 5. Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics 6. Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology 7. Developmental Psychology 8. Society for Personality and Social Psychology 9. Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) 10. Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts 11. There is no Division 11 [more info] 12. Society of Clinical Psychology 13. Society of Consulting Psychology 14. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 15. Educational Psychology 16. School Psychology 17. Society of Counseling Psychology 18. Psychologists in Public Service 19. Society for Military Psychology 20. Adult Development and Aging 21. Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology 22. Rehabilitation Psychology 23. Society for Consumer Psychology 24. Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology 25. Behavior Analysis 26. Society for the History of Psychology 27. Society for Community Research and Action: Division of Community Psychology 28. Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse 29. Psychotherapy 30. Society of Psychological Hypnosis 31. State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs 32. Humanistic Psychology 33. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities 34. Population and Environmental Psychology 35. Society for the Psychology of Women 36. Psychology of Religion 37. Child, Youth, and Family Services 38. Health Psychology 39. Psychoanalysis 40. Clinical Neuropsychology 41. American Psychology-Law Society 42. Psychologists in Independent Practice 43. Family Psychology 44. Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues 45. Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues 46. Media Psychology 47. Exercise and Sport Psychology 48. Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division 49. Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy 50. Addictions 51. Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity 52. International Psychology 53. Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology 54. Society of Pediatric Psychology 55. American Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy

Division 12: Society of Clinical Psychology

Definition of clinical psychology offered by Division 12: The field of Clinical Psychology integrates science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and alleviate maladjustment, and personal development. Clinical Psychology focuses on the intellectual, emotional, biological, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of human functioning across the lifespan, in varying cultures, and at all economic levels.

What is Clinical Psychology?

General Characteristics Activities and Work Settings of Clinical Psychologists Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

Clinical Psychology: General Characteristics

Emphasizes: Science Maladjustment Individual

Emphasis on Science
Clinical psychology, as a subdiscipline within the science psychology, adheres to two important assumptions of science: Determinism-events have determinable causes Empiricism-events must be observable and measurable

Emphasis on Maladjustment
The concern is with the scientific understanding of abnormal behavior and emotional suffering

Emphasis on the Individual

Clinical psychology uses research information gathered in groups of people to guide their work with individiuals

Emphasis on Helping
Clinical psychologists help people in psychological distress Historically, helping was not the first emphasis of clinical psychology. Any guesses about the first emphasis of clinical psychology?

Activities and Work Settings Of Clinical Psychologists

Research Teaching Psychotherapy Assessment Consultation Administration

Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

Training of a Clinical Psychologist Undergraduate (typical): focus on psychology 4 (or more) years of graduate course work Masters thesis or equivalent Practicum training Qualifying exam Dissertation Internship (typically one year) State Licensing exam

Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

Psychiatry Undergraduate: focus on biology or chemistry Medical school (one year) Internship (one year) Residency, specialty in psychiatry (three years) Board exams

Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

Last step in training in Clinical Psychology Defend the dissertation Last step in training in becoming a physician Take the Hippocratic oath

Clinical Psychology vs. Psychiatry

Clinical Psychologists Learn to think as researchers To evaluate findings To defend their views by citing data Psychiatrists. Learn facts and use this knowledge to understand and treat patients

Overlap of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry

Both Diagnose Treat using therapy (although training in psychotherapy is more heavily emphasized for clinical psychologists)

Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

Counseling Psychology Most similar to clinical psychology Training about the same Counseling psychologists tend to deal with problems of adjustment in healthy individuals Historically counseling psychologists worked within university counseling centers In last few decades, they have expanded their work setting to include private practice The valid distinction between the two fields is fading

Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

School Psychology Typically have a masters level of training Typically work in school settings Significant emphasis on testing/assessment Consultation with schools to improve learning environments

Distinguishing Clinical Psychology from Related Professions

Social Work M.S.W. (2 years of post B.A. training) emphasizing clinical work Typically focus on working with the poor and disenfranchised segments of the population Work in settings dealing with many aspects of a patients life and care such as social security, housing, food stamps, Medicare, arrangements for nursing homes, and foster care placement Emphasis on therapy, but not diagnostic training or emphasis on research

Summary: What is Clinical Psychology

The field of Clinical Psychology integrates science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and alleviate maladjustment, and personal development.