Evolution Of Clinical Psychology PDF

EVOLUTION OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Clinical Psychology MODELS OF TRAINING IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Balancing Practice and Science: The Scientist-Practitioner (Boulder) Model In 1949, the first conference on graduate training in clinical psychology was held in Boulder, Colorado. To...

EVOLUTION OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Clinical Psychology MODELS OF TRAINING IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Balancing Practice and Science: The Scientist-Practitioner (Boulder) Model In 1949, the first conference on graduate training in clinical psychology was held in Boulder, Colorado. To become a clinical psychologist, graduate students would need to receive training and display competence in the application of clinical methods (assessment, psychotherapy, etc.) and the research methods necessary to study and evaluate the field scientifically MODELS OF TRAINING IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Leaning Toward Practice: The Practitioner-Scholar (Vail) Model In 1973, another conference on clinical psychology training was held in Colorado—this time, in the city of Vail (Grus, 2016, Klonoff, 2016) Since the 1970s, graduate programs offering the PsyD degree have proliferated. In the 1988 to 2001 time period the number of PsyD degrees awarded increased by more than 160%. Compared with PhD programs, PsyD programs offer more coursework directly related to practice and fewer courses related to research and statistics MODELS OF TRAINING IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Leaning Toward Science: The Clinical Scientist Model The more empirically minded members of the clinical psychology profession began a campaign for a strongly research-oriented model of training. They sought and created a model of training—the clinical scientist model—that stressed the scientific side of clinical psychology more strongly than did the Boulder model. PhD from a clinical scientist program implies a very strong emphasis on the scientific method and evidence-based clinical methods. Evolution of Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is the primary activity of clinical psychologists today, but that hasn’t always been the case. In 1930 almost every clinical psychologist worked in academia (rather than as a practitioner), and it wasn’t until the 1940s or 1950s that psychotherapy played a significant role in the history of clinical psychology. Evolution of Psychotherapy Without the demand created by the psychological consequences of World War II on U.S. soldiers, psychotherapy might have remained an uncommon activity of clinical psychologists even longer. Evolution of Psychotherapy In the mid-20th century, when psychotherapy rose to a more prominent place in clinical psychology, the psychodynamic approach to therapy dominated Evolution of Psychotherapy In the 1950s and 1960s, for example, behaviorism surfaced as a fundamentally different approach to human beings and their behavioral or emotional problems. The behavioral approach emphasizes an empirical method, with problems and progress measured in observable, quantifiable terms. Evolution of Psychotherapy Humanistic (or “client-centered”) therapy also flourished in the 1960s, as Carl Rogers’s relationship- and growth-oriented approach to therapy offered an alternative to both psychodynamic and behavioral approaches that many therapists and clients found attractive. Evolution of Psychotherapy The family therapy revolution took root in the 1950s, and as the 1960s and 1970s arrived, understanding mentally ill individuals as symptomatic of a flawed system had become a legitimate—and, by some clinicians, the preferred—therapeutic perspective. Evolution of Psychotherapy Most recently, interest in cognitive therapy, with its emphasis on logical thinking as the foundation of psychological wellness, has intensified to the point that it has become the most popular singular orientation among clinical psychologists Evolution of Psychotherapy In addition to the sequential rise of these therapy approaches, recent decades have witnessed a movement toward combining them, in either eclectic or integrative ways (Goldfried, Glass, & Arnkoff, 2011), as well as the tremendous influence of cultural competence on any and all such approaches (Comas- Díaz, 2011a, 2011b) CURRENT CONTROVERSIES AND DIRECTIONS  The American Psychological Association published numerous articles endorsing prescription privileges (e.g., American PRESCRIPTION Psychological Association, 1996a) and offering suggestions for PRIVILEGES training of psychologists to become proficient in the knowledge necessary to prescribe safely and effectively WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE  WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE Shortage of psychiatrists. In some parts of the country, there simply aren’t enough psychiatrists to serve the population adequately. Especially in some rural areas, there is a strikingly low ratio of professionals with the training and ability to prescribe psychoactive medications to the number of people who need them.  WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE Clinical psychologists are more expert than primary care physicians. Although psychiatrists have specialized training in mental health issues, they aren’t the only ones prescribing psychoactive medications. In fact, by some estimates, more than 80% of the prescriptions written for psychoactive medications come from primary care physicians  WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE Other nonphysician professionals already have prescription privileges. Dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, and advanced practice nurses are among the professionals who are not physicians but have some rights to prescribe medication to their patients.  WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE Convenience for clients Professional autonomy With prescription privileges, clinical psychologists can feel capable of independently providing a wider range of services to their clients. Their ability to treat the physical and psychological aspects of their clients’ difficulties autonomously, without relying on psychiatrists or other physicians, is greatly increased  WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE Professional identification. In the eyes of the general public, psychologists may be difficult to distinguish from other nonprescribing therapists or counselors such as licensed professional counselors, social workers, and the like. The ability to prescribe immediately sets psychologists apart from—and, many would argue, above—these other professions.  WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD PRESCRIBE Evolution of the profession Embracing prescription privileges is seen by many as the next logical step in the progression. To stand in its way, some argue, is to impede the evolution of the field Revenue for the profession. WHY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD NOT PRESCRIBE Training Issues Debates about current training standards are ongoing, with some arguing that pharmacologically trained psychologists are better trained in psychoactive medications than are the physicians and nurses who prescribe them (Muse & McGrath, 2010) and others strongly disagreeing, labeling psychologists’ training substandard (Heiby, 2010). Threats to Psychotherapy If clinical psychologists can prescribe, what will become of psychotherapy? Some have wondered if we will see a drift within the profession from “talk therapy” to pharmacological intervention. Identity Confusion Without an effective effort to keep the public educated about our profession, a client referred to a particular clinical psychologist may feel justifiably puzzled about whether prescription medication might be part of the treatment program. Potential Sway from the Pharmaceutical Industry Some opponents of the prescription movement have expressed concern that if psychologists prescribe, they will inevitably find themselves targeted by the pharmaceutical industry and will be pressured to consider factors other than client welfare when making prescription decisions.