Clinical psychology

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. !" #" $entral to its practice are psychological assessment and psychotherapy, although clinical psychologists also engage in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration. %" &n many countries, clinical psychology is regulated as a health care profession. 'he field is often considered to have begun in !()* with the opening of the first psychological clinic at the +niversity of ,ennsylvania by -ightner Witmer. &n the first half of the #.th century, clinical psychology was focused on psychological assessment, with little attention given to treatment. 'his changed after the !)/.s when World War && resulted in the need for a large increase in the number of trained clinicians. 0ince that time, two main educational models have developed1the ,h.2. scientist3practitioner model 4re5uiring a doctoral dissertation and therefore research as well as clinical e6pertise7 and, in the +.0. the ,sy.2. practitioner3scholar model. $linical psychologists provide psychotherapy, psychological testing, and diagnosis of mental illness. 'hey generally train within four primary theoretical orientations1psychodynamic, humanistic, behavior therapy8cognitive-behavioral, and systems or family therapy. 9any continue clinical training in post-doctoral programs in which they might speciali:e in disciplines such as psychoanalytic approaches or child and adolescent treatment modalities.