Clinical Psychology

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Clinical Psychology

Psychology is an extraordinarily diverse field with hundreds of career paths. Some specialties, like treating the mentally ill, are familiar to most. Others, like helping with the design of advanced computer systems or studying memory, are less well-known. What psychologists have in common is a shared interest in mind and behavior. In their work they draw on an ever-expanding body of scientific knowledge about how humans think, act, and feel, and apply the information to their special areas of expertise. The profession of clinical psychology encompasses both research and statistics, through which is learned fundamental data about behavior; and practice, through which that knowledge is applied in helping to solve problems. Training for clinical psychologists differs from other areas of expertise. Contemporary clinical psychology incorporates “culture, traditions, and gender” into the study of behavior (Plante, 2011, p. 27). Therefore, most present-day clinical psychologists consider human behavioral problems from many aspects.

History

Clinical psychology has evolved over the past 60 years into a dynamic field separated in specialty by age group of clients and different schools of thought or theoretical approaches to practicing clinical psychology. Beginning after World War II, when veterans were returning from war by the thousands with various psychological issues, psychiatrists and those in the medical field realized they did not have the workforce to treat every soldier. Therefore, in 1946, the Veteran's Administration “requested 4,700 clinical psychologists be employed in the VA system” (Plante, 2011, p. 49). In 1947, The American Psychological Association Committee on Training in Clinical Psychology...

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...hological well-being of clients. Thus, regarding the clinical psychology field, continual research is very important and should not be underemphasized or ignored for effectiveness and advancement in the field.

Works Cited

Altshuler, S. (2009). School social work: Increasing the legitimacy of the profession. Children & Schools, 31(4), 207.

Berke, D. M., Rozell, C. A., Hogan, T. P., Norcross, J. C., & Karpiak, C. P. (2011). What clinical psychologists know about evidence-based practice: familiarity with online resources and research methods. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67(4), 329-339.doi:10.1002/jclp.20775

Curtis, M. A. (2004). The changing face of school psychology: Trends in data and projections for the future. School Psychology Review, 33(1), 49.

Plante, T. G. (2011). Contemporary clinical psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

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