Clinical psychology
From Free net encyclopedia
Clinical psychology is the application of psychology to problematic mental distress in a health and social care context. Clinical Psychologists assess mental health problems; conduct and use scientific research to understand mental health problems; develop, provide and evaluate psychological care and interventions (psychotherapy). The term was introduced in a 1907 paper by the American psychologist Lightner Witmer (1867-1956).
Clinical psychologists work with individuals, couples, families and groups. They tend to work within multidisciplinary teams (alongside psychiatrists, nurses, social workers etc) based in hospitals and clinics, residential and community teams, and in other areas. Their clients include individuals diagnosable with a disorder, including by psychiatric criteria such as found in the DSM or ICD, although many clinical psychologists do not use a medical or categorical approach of this sort. Clients may also include individuals with drug use problems or a physical illness or a learning disability.
Their clinical work often includes providing psychological therapy. This often includes a mixture of techniques associated with cognitive therapy and behavior therapy (often combined into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), as well as using 'systemic' (whole family or group) approaches, and other interventions with evidence of effectiveness for improving particular mental health issues. Numerous other approaches are also used by at least some clinical psychologists, including psychoanalysis.
Postgraduate training in clinical psychology involves gaining demonstrable competence and supervised experience in clinical practice and research skills, in regard to different client groups and settings and across the lifespan. Academic work covers genetics, neuroscience and medication as well as psychological and social approaches.
Some clinical psychologists may specialize in understanding, assessing, and treating brain injury and neurocognitive deficits to become clinical neuropsychologist.
Clinical psychology developed partly as a result of a need for additional clinicians to treat mental health problems, and partly as psychological science advanced to the stage where the fruits of psychological research could be successfully applied in clinical settings.da:Klinisk psykologi de:Klinische Psychologie fr:Psychologie clinique ja:臨床心理学 pt:Psicologia clínica