Introduction to

Clinical Psychology

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What is a Clinical Psychologist?
 Research
 Teaching
 Services
 Across the Lifespan
 Varying cultures
 Various SES levels

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Activities Engaged in by a Clinical
Psychologist
 Therapy/Intervention
 Diagnosis/Assessment
 Clinical Supervision
 Teaching
 Research
 Consultation
 Administration

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Related Health Professions
 Psychiatry
 Counseling Psychology
 Psychiatric Social Workers
 School Psychologists
 Rehabilitation Psychologists
 Health Psychologists
 Psychiatric Nurses

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Issues in both Counseling &
Clinical Ph. D. programs
 APA accreditation
 Licensure
 Psychologist – protected term
 Psychological testing
 Issues with Psychologists providing
medication

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What is involved with a degree in
Clinical Psychology?
 Statistics
 Psychotherapy
 Social psychology
 Research
 Psychometrics (test construction)
 Assessment (adult or child)

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What is involved with a degree in
Clinical Psychology?
 Clinical Practicum
 Ethical & Professional Issues
 Psychopathology
 Neuroscience
 Family & Group Process
 Cognitive Psychology

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What is involved with a degree in
Clinical Psychology?
 Experimental Psychopathology
 Developmental
 History & systems of psychology
 Violence in the family
 Internship
 Research
 The qualifying examination

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Other Issues
 APA approved internship programs
 Psy. D. vs. Ph. D.
 Ph. D. Model or Boulder model of training.

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Models of training
 1949 landmark conference in Boulder, Colorado
= Boulder model or the scientist-practitioner
model.
 Evidence based medicine.
 More applied model.
 Metzoff (1984): If we train purely applied
psychologists, they will be obliged to accept on
faith what is handed down to them without being
able to evaluate it.

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The Psy. D. degree
 U. of Illinois (1968).
 Fear: that Psy. D’s won’t find
employment.

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Professional Schools
 No affiliations with universities.
 Autonomous with their own financial &
organizational framework.
 1987 – 45 professional schools.
 ½ doctorates in clinical psychology awarded by
professional schools.
 Major handicap…. Many are not APA
accredited.

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Professional Regulation
 Who is well trained & who is not?
 This is an attempt to protect public
interest.
 Certification – guarantees that people
cannot call themselves “psychologists”
unless certified by a state board of
examiners.

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Licensing
 Specifies nature of the title (psychologist) & training
required for licensure.
 Usually defines what specific professional activities may
be offered to the public for a fee.
 Usual requirements:
 Education: Master’s and Doctoral degree from a Universities
offering such programs recognized by the country’s law.
 Experience: several years of supervised clinical experienced
required.
 Examinations: must pass the Examination for Professional
Practice in Psychology

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Ethical Standards
 APA (1951).
 Most recent version 2002.
 5 general principles:
 Beneficence & non-maleficence
 Fidelity & responsibility
 Integrity
 Justice
 Respect for people’s rights & dignity

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Competence
 Represent their training accurately.
 Actively present themselves correctly.
 Sensitive to treatment or assessment issues that
could be influenced by a patient’s gender, ethnic
or racial background, age, sexual orientation,
religion, or disability.
 Safeguard patients against personal issues that
could affect performance.

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Privacy & Confidentiality
 The role of confidentiality in the client-
psychologist relationship.
 Not all information is deemed “privileged”.
 1976 Tarasoff case.

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Human Relations
 Dual relationships.
 Sexual harassment & sexual intimacies
 Client welfare.

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Other issues involving
psychologists.
 Radio Call-in shows, TV talk shows,
Internet groups…ethical???............

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