Introduction to Clinical Psychology Science, Practice, and Ethics  (Science, Practice and Ethics)

The ever expanding and diverse field of Clinical Psychology has been dealt with in a comprehensive manner in The Introduction to Clinical Psychology in a very user friendly way.

Summary Of The Book

Clinical Psychology is a stream of psychology which integrates science, clinical knowledge, and theory to understand, prevent and cure psychological illnesses, behavioral and psychiatric problems. Introduction to Clinical Psychology is meant for undergraduate students, and for students who are just beginning their graduate studies. The authors have provided a complete guide to the history and the future of the field, and the controversies as well as ethical issues that are faced by its practitioners.

Four main themes are emphasized in the text: Science, Ethics, Contemporary clinical Psychology, and Controversies.The authors believe that what sets Clinical Psychology apart from other disciplines of mental health is its emphasis on science. Hence the book examines the research and practice in Clinical Psychology using a proper scientific perspective.

This book also places a great deal of importance on ethics, perhaps more than any other book dealing with the subject. Every chapter in the book discusses various ethical dilemmas which plague the clinical Psychologists. Each chapter has a ‘Focus on Ethics’ box, which highlights the ethical challenges faced by psychologists, and provides guidelines on how these can be handled. The authors have also examined and dealt with Contemporary Clinical Psychology at length. The controversies and conflicts that arise in the field are also tackled by the authors.

There are 15 chapters in the book and each deal extensively with the concerned sub-topic. For instance, the second chapter, History and Recent Developments takes students to the root of the discipline, its very beginning, and its gradual development, in order to help the students understand the subject better.

The chapter on Psychological Models in Clinical Psychology (Chapter 3) discusses the pros and cons of various psychological models, including Psychoanalysis, Interpersonal Models, and Behavioral Model. Chapter 5, Clinical Interviewing, has the authors dealing at length with Types of Clinical Interviews, Importance of Rapport, Interviewing Children and other related topics.

Personality Assessment (Chapter 7) throws light on the Projective and Objective Methods, and the place of Personality Assessment in Contemporary Clinical Psychology. The chapters on Psychotherapy (Chapter 10) and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (Chapter 11), give complete details of Psychotherapy, its goals, its research studies, the validity of Psychotherapy Research, Psychoanalysis and the place of Psychotherapy in Contemporary Clinical Psychology.

The authors have also included several case studies to help students develop a better understanding of the subject, its processes and applications. This book was first published the year 2006 by Pearson.

About The Authors

Geoffrey L. Thorpe is a well known author in the field of Clinical Psychology. Some of the other books authored by him include The Agoraphobic Syndrome: Behavioral Approaches to Evaluation And Treatment and Behavior Therapy: Concepts, Procedures And Applications. Currently, Geoffrey L. Thorpe is serving as the Professor Emeritus at the The University Of Maine.

Jeffery E. Hecker is a well known researcher in the field of Clinical Psychology, specializing in Risk Assessment for individuals with a history of sexual offenses. Some of his works include Forensic Psychology and Behavioural And Cognitive Psychotherapy. Currently, he serves as the faculty of the Psychology Department at The University Of Maine.