Examination of Clinical Psychology

Examination of Clinical Psychology
Kandi Heckathorne
PSY/480
Abstract
In this paper, the author wants to share some things with the reader(s). A few of these things are the history and evolving nature of clinical psychology, the role of statistics, and the differences between clinical psychology, mental health professions such as social work, psychiatry and being employed as a psychiatrist through the school systems that have one available. There is a lot of research that is done in this branch of psychology. If the research is not performed the tests and results are going to be incorrect and unreliable. Let’s see now what the author has to say about clinical psychology.
Examination of Clinical Psychology
What is clinical psychology? Clinical psychology is the branch of psychology that revolves around the assessment that the treatment(s) of mental disorders, abnormal behavior, and other psychiatric problems that someone might be suffering from. This field of psychology mixes science of psychology with treatments of complex human problems, which makes it more of an exciting and appealing career of choice for people who enjoy challenges. A few disorders or illness that clinical psychology works with are: drug and alcohol addictions, diagnosis of psychological disorders, it also offers the possibility for a clinical psychology to stand up in court for either the plaintiff or defendant where needed, it also works with creating different programs to prevent and treat social issues that someone might have. (Kazdin 2003)
The History and Evolution of Clinical Psychology
The history of psychology dates back farther than one might expect. It was in 1945 that the Journal of Clinical Psychology was originally founded. At this time was also when Karen Horney published her feministic views of psychoanalytic theory which at this time was the beginning of what is now known as feminism. There were many other obstacles that were overcome and plenty of research was done to expand this branch of psychology more than what had done before. If a person jumps farther forward in time it would be found that there were many people who had contributed to this branch of psychology. Whether it was about research, the treatment of mental or emotional disorders, drug or alcohol addiction, it was with the increase of research and the more in depth they were able to perform the research the more they were able to do and believe with what was happening. (Reisman, J. M. 1991)
It was in the 1990’s that some things of great importance happened in clinical psychology. There had already been many different kinds of mental and emotional disorders that had been discovered and researched. There was something that the author believed was very interesting within this time frame. That was that in 1995 that the first psychologist prescribed medication through the U.S. military’s psychopharmacology program. It is believed that the medications should have become available to the U.S. military solders because disorders and emotional difficulties has been present all throughout history. If someone had come up with treatments for these disorders, they should have been exposed to the public before this time. . (Reisman, J. M. 1991)
Research and Statistics in Clinical Psychology
Statistic and research are intertwined and are very important in clinical psychology. If they are used correctly with maintaining proper ethics and guidelines which are kept on a professional level, research and statistics can benefit all people by discovering new and more effective treatments. With research there can be new insight to a persons behavior which can increase better interactions with those people. The types of interaction can include not just conversing with them, but also therapy, medications and other things to help them with the symptoms and the disorder. (Kazdin 2003)
In clinical research, statistics and research play