Chapter 1 Flashcards
Evolution of clinical psychology
Mental health
A state of well-being in which every individual realises their potential, can cope with normal stresses, work productively, and is able to make a contribution to their community
Canadian definition of clinical psychology
A broad field of practice and research within the discipline of psychology. Applies psychological principles to the assessment, prevention, and rehabilitation
Evidence-based practice in psychology (definition)
EBP; A practice model that involves the synthesis of information drawn from research and systematically collected data on the patient in question, the clinicians professional experience, and the patient’s preferences when considering health care options
Evidence-based practice in psychology (application)
1.) Requires the clinician to synthesise information drawn from research sonf systematically collected data on the patient in question and the patient’s preferences when considering health care options
2.) Emphasises the importance of informing patients based on the best available research evidence about viable options for assessment, prevention, and intervention services
Critics of science-based approach to clinical psychology, concerns:
1.) Group based data cannot be used in working with an individual
2.) Clients have problems now, and we cannot afford to wait for research
3.) Each individual’s unique constellation of life experience, culture, and society contexts makes it unlikely that general psychological principles can ever provide much useful guidance in alleviating emotional distress or interpersonal conflict
4.) There is simply no research evidence on how to understand or treat many of the human problems confronted by clinical psychologists on a daily basis
Counselling psychology
- Generic term used to describe a range of mental health professions with various training and licensure requirements
Difference between counselling and clinical psychology
- Clinical psychology is severe enough to warrant a clinical diagnosis
- counselling is for normal life challenges
Psychiatry
- Deals extensively with physiological and biochemical systems and emphasises biological functioning and abnormalities
- Receive relatively little training in human psychological development, cognition, learning or psychological functioning in general
- Provides only limited training in research skills/statistical analysis
- Generally emphasises psychopharmacological over psychological treatments
Clinical social work
- Focuses on ways to improve health and well-being for a variety of populations and settings
- Activities such as policy development, program planning, etc
- Titles like ‘social worker’, etc. are protected in legislation and can be used only by those who meet the regulations
- However not all social workers are required to be registered with a regulatory authority
Psychiatric nurses
- Offer services to those whose primary care needs relate to mental and developmental health
- Manage administrative matters in inpatient settings, providing psychoeducation/counselling, and supervising services provided by others
Availability of mental health service providers
- Wide variability in access to professions and different countries
- Fewer than 1 psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker per 100000 people
- WHO (2015) conservatively that 1 in 10 suffer from a mental disorder
Biopsychosocial approach
A theoretical framework that takes into account biological, psychological, and social influences on health and illness
Hippocrates ‘bodily fluid’ theory
- Blood: sanguine
- Black bile: melancholic
- Yellow bile: choleric
- Phlegm: phlegmatic
Jean-Martin Charcot
Credited with being the primary developer of clinical neurology
Syndrome
A group of symptoms that frequently co-occur
