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

• Defining the Nature and Scope of Clinical Psychology

• Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology

• Mental Health Professions

▪ Counseling Psychology

▪ School Psychology

▪ Psychiatry

▪ Clinical Social Work

▪ Other Mental Health Professions

• Availability of Mental Health Service Providers

• A Brief History of Clinical Psychology

▪ The Roots of Clinical Psychology

▪ The History of Assessment in Clinical Psychology

▪ The History of Intervention in Clinical Psychology

▪ The History of Prevention in Clinical Psychology

• The Future

• Summary and Conclusions

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 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

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.