Research indicates that efforts to reconcile science and practice in psychology since the Boulder conference in 1949 have mostly failed (Hayes, 1999). The scientist-practitioner (SP) ideal claims that practitioners should consume new research, evaluate their own methods as well as research and share their findings with other practitioners and scientists (Hayes et al, 1999). The SP gap has implications in a managed-care system in that it can make professionals accountable, ensures research is relevant to practice and provides structure and a theoretical framework for practitioners; without these, there is risk of losing accountability, the profession to the dominant scientific paradigm and government funding (Perez, 1999). Such obstacles to an integrated model in practice include, a lack of understanding of the model, the inherent split due to naturally different interests of scientists and practitioners, inefficiencies of traditional evidence in the clinical setting and differing epistemological attitudes of scientists and practitioners. In light of this, it will be argued that in the era of managed care, a more pragmatic local clinical model is suited for psychological practice.
The SP gap starts to be created in graduate programs through a lack of understanding and hence implementation of the model (Belar, 2000). The role of scientist practitioner has often been misinterpreted in too narrow a sense leading the two roles being treated by program coordinators as competing paradigms (Stricker, 1997). This has led to programs developing heavily scientist or practitioner focus with little integration. Many programs focus on the scientific paradigm due to the assumption from Boulder that most graduates of psychology would follow an ...
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A physician has an unenviable position; he is closest to man approaching a god-like stature. And despite the demise of 'doctor knows best', we still need to trust his diagnosis-something that is increasingly difficult in a world where information is widely available, and Google substitutes for a doctor. In the case of psychiatry the issue of trust is amplified since diagnosis is based on a patient's expressed thoughts and overt behaviours rather than solely on biological phenomena. And these thoughts and behaviours are influenced by the patient's environment-a mix of his social, cultural and technological experiences.
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“On Being Sane in Insane Places”, by David Rosenhan, touched on topics in research within the field of abnormal psychology that should be explored. These particular subjects included both the diagnosis and the treatment of those with mental disorders, specifically he was trying to expose problems with the mental health system as a whole. However, the way his studies were conducted had flaws, especially in the essential features of research: ethics, reliability, and validity. Lacking in these features created studies that are untrustworthy sources of information and provides questionable conclusions.
Kuther, T. L., & Morgan, R. D. (2013). Careers in psychology: opportunities in a changing world. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth.
Others call for a practice that is informed by both practitioner and by EBP research and disagree that the transfer of knowledge is one way only from academics to practitioners and from science to practice thereby relegating practitioners to mere research consumers or form fillers. They instead propose a more hybridized approach to practice-research integration constructed around a problem-solving approach where researchers and practitioner’s, retrospective and prospective researchers, interpretavists and experimentalists and everyone in between have knowledge contributions to make (Gredig & Sommerfeld, 2008).
Applied scientists apply knowledge to solve practical problems of the modern world rather than acquire knowledge for knowledge sake. Basic scientists pursue knowledge motivated by scientific curiosity or interest in a scientific question and study a phenomenon to expand understanding in order to contribute to scientific advances in the area, not to solve a problem. The role of the policy evaluator is one in which psychologists who have methodological skills in assessing how well a policy has worked provide data regarding the effects of that policy. A forensic evaluator is responsible for providing forensic mental health assessments and expert court testimony on a variety of topics related to legal questions involving mental and emotional disorders, intellectual functioning, substance abuse, and other clinical disorders, as well as capacities that are directly related to the legal question. The role of ...
(Wilcock ,2001) states that it is essential to break it down into occupations and science. Occupations are daily activities that provide structure for living, reflect cultural values and have meanings for individuals. In addition, the science aspect is the gathering of knowledge through systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and available resources that informs practice. The information therapist seeks for is that which has been critically appraised by other authors for validity and interpretability when planning and implementing treatment.This evidence based practice is usually defined as'the conscientious, explicit,and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients’ (Dirette et al, 2009).
Molitior Nancy “The 411 on Clinical Psychologists: Here’s the Truth” Your mind your body. 20 Nov 2009. Web. 14 Feb 2014
We have already seen numerous changes in the field of psychology, and these have yielded new opportunities and roles for psychologists not to mention the added benefits and new comprehensive services presented to the public. In his publication titled, Responding to Society’s Needs: Prescription Privileges for Psychologists, in the Journal Of Clinical Psychology, Norfleet urges the need for this continued trend in our future, and strongly advocates the need for prescription privileges to be a part of the equation. The author clearly lays out the importance of this advancement in the field of psychology by stress...
A career in clinical psychology is one that will be promising for anyone seeking to pursue this career. A clinical psychologists’ educational training is a dead-ringer for success, if completed with a doctorate. A doctorate for a clinical psychologist is the best way to get ahead and have the upper hand in this field. A clinical psychologist’s salary is one that will be growing steadily along with the number of growing demands for psychologists. Anyone who chooses to pursue clinical psychology, that fits the profile for the job, will be set and secure. Clinical psychology is a bright career that I hope to someday enter into, following the pathway that my research has yielded; with that, I may begin my journey.
My clinical experience working in an interprofessional setting with pharmacists has allowed to me to implement this integrative orientation working from a biopsychosocial model. This exposure to pharmacotherapy augmented my understanding of psychopharmacology as the interplay between psychology and
Feist, G. J., & Rosenberg, E. L. (2012). Learning. In Psychology: Perspectives & connections (2nd ed., p. 310). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
...le, “Recovery of evidence-based practice” highlights the importance of utilizing evidence-based practice to care for mentally ill patients. “They also found a similar consensus in requirements that mental health care be based on evidence, be focused on effective treatments and best practices, and result in measurable outcomes” (Gordon & Ellis, 2013, p. 4).
program in Clinical psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology. I aspire to become a proficient Clinical Neuropsychologist in a hospital or private practice and later, hopefully open my own research center. I am fascinated by the complexity of the human brain and its endless capabilities. I yearn to continue learning about the brain and apply the knowledge I have gained to improving the quality of people 's life. With this in mind, conducting research is an imperative aspect of any psychology graduate program. This prestigious internship will introduce and provide me with the background on research that I will utilize during my graduate experience and beyond. It will enhance my analytical thinking skills and build upon my hands on laboratory experience. The program will equip me with knowledge and skills, which are valuable to my academic and career
My ultimate goal is to receive my Doctoral degree in social psychology from University of California Berkeley or Stanford University. After receiving my Doctoral degree, I would like to pursue a career in academia by teaching and participating in research. I have also considered a career in research separate from academia, where I would be free to focus on research and less on teaching. My main career goal is to continue to do research and further knowledge in social psychology. The social psychology program at San Francisco State University would help me achieve this goal because they have a strong emphasis on research. The program requires research under a faculty member in their lab, starting one’s first day in the program. The program also