Clinical

Psychology
Chapter Contents
• Defining Clinical Psychology
• Different Conceptual Frameworks in
Clinical Psychology
• Functions of Clinical Psychologist
• Psychological Assessment
• Tools for Psychological Assessment
• Preparations of a Clinical Psychologist
Definition

• Applied psychology
• Specialized field where to put into
practice the principles, methods and
procedures to reduce and alleviate
the maladjustment, disability, and
discomfort in a wide range of client
population
• Regulated by professional
organizations and licensing boards
 • APA (American
Psychological
Association)
• PAP (Psychological
Association of the
Philippines)
 • Motivational Perspective
• Behavior is motivated and goal-directed
CONCEPTUAL • Developmental Perspective
FRAMEWORK • Developmental tasks/ identity crisis/ life
OF CLINICAL history interview
PSYCHOLOGY • Adaptational Perspective
• Behavior is adaptive
(PERSPECTIVES
/EVALUATION)
 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
(PERSPECTIVES /EVALUATION)

• Ecological Perspective
• Environment plays a role in shaping the behavior of the client
• Behavioral Perspective
• Behavior has plasticity – change/ modified/
learned
Specific Functions of Psychologists

Assessment

Therapy

Education and Training

Research
 Psychological
Assessment
• The gathering and integration of
psychology- related data for the
purpose of making a
psychological evaluation that is
accomplished using tools such as
tests, interviews, case studies,
behavioral observation, and
specially designed apparatuses
and measurement procedures.
 Referral Questions

Evaluate reason for referral

Planning data collection

Process of Data collection

Communicating assessment

• Psychological Report
• Oral Feedback
Tools for Psychological Assessment
 Test
 May be defined simply as a measuring device or
procedure.
 Example: Medical test, Academic test, Entrance Test
 Psychological Test
 Refers to a device or procedure designed to measure
variables related to psychology (for example,
intelligence, personality, aptitude, interests, attitudes,
and values).
 Standardized Test versus Non-standardized Test
 Standardized Tests- are those that have been
administered to large group of individual who are
similar to a group for whom the test has been
designed.
 Standardized sample
 Norms
 What to look for in the
Psychological Test?
 Content
 Refers to the subject matter of the test.
 Took at the focus of the test since the test was
developed with the use of different theoretical
frameworks to strengthen the test.
 Format
 Pertains to the form, plan, structure,
arrangement, and layout of test items as well as
to related considerations such as time limits.
 Format is also used to refer to the form in
which a test is administered: computerized,
pencil-and-paper, or some other form.
 Administration Procedure
 Will the test be given on a one-to-one basis or
in a group? Does the test require a trained
evaluator or not?
 What to look for in the
Psychological Test?
 Scoring, Interpretation and Procedure
 Score
 Score as a code or summary statement, usually but
not necessarily numerical in nature that reflects an
evaluation of performance on a test, task, interview,
or some other sample of behavior.
 Scoring
 Is the process of assigning such evaluative codes or
statements to performance on tests, tasks, interviews,
or other behavior samples.
 Cut Score
 (Also referred to as a cutoff score or simply a cutoff)
 It is a reference point, usually numerical, derived by
judgment and used to divide a set of data into two or
more classifications.
 Types of
Interview
 Structured- follows course of interview.
 Unstructured- does not follow a course of interview.
 Semi-structured- combination of structured and
unstructured interview.
 Intake interview- to determine why the client has
come for assessment.
 Social Case Interviews- Biographical sketch of
client.
 Mental Status Examination
Portfolio
• Compilation of work products made
by the client—whether retained on
paper, canvas, film, video, audio, or
some other medium.
 Case Study History
 Refers to records, transcripts, and other accounts in written,
pictorial, or other form that preserve archival information, official
and informal accounts, and other data and items relevant to an
assessee.
 Another use of the term case history, one synonymous with case
study, concerns the assembly of case history data into an
illustrative account.
 Case history data may include files or excerpts from files
maintained at institutions and agencies such as schools, hospitals,
employers, religious institutions, and criminal justice agencies.
Other examples of case history data are letters and written
correspondence, photos and family albums, newspaper and
magazine clippings, and home videos, movies, and audiotapes.
Work samples, artwork, doodling, and accounts and pictures
pertaining to interests and hobbies are yet other examples.
 Behavioral Observation
 As assessment professionals employ it,
may be defined as monitoring the
actions of others or oneself by visual or
electronic means while recording
quantitative and/or qualitative
information regarding the actions.
 Naturalistic Observation
 Researchers venture outside of the
confines of clinics, classrooms,
workplaces, and research
laboratories in order to observe
behavior of humans in a natural
setting.
 Role-play
Tests
 It is a tool of
assessment wherein
assessees are directed
to act as if they were in
a particular situation.
 Role-play is useful in
evaluating various
skills.
Computers as Tools
 Computers do much more than replace the “equipment” that was
so widely used in the past (a No. 2 pencil). Computers can serve
as test administrators (online or off) and as highly efficient test
scorers. Within seconds they can derive not only test scores but
also patterns of test scores.
 Simple Scoring Report
 Mere listing of score or scores in a test.
 Extended Scoring Report
 Which includes statistical analyses of the test taker’s
performance.
 Interpretive Report
 Which is distinguished by its inclusion of numerical or
narrative interpretive statements in the report. Some
interpretive reports contain relatively little interpretation
and are limited to calling the test user’s attention to
certain scores that need to be focused on.
Computers as
Tools
 Consultative Report
 This type of report, usually written in language
appropriate for communication between
assessment professionals, may provide expert
opinion concerning analysis of the data.
 Integrative Report
 Will employ previously collected data (such as
medication records or behavioral observation
data) into the test report.
 CAPA (Computer Assisted Psychological
Assessment)
 Refers to the term computer assisted
psychological assessment.
 The word assisted typically refers to the
assistance computers provide to the test user,
not the test taker.
 Intervention/
Psychological
Intervention
• Designed to help
people better
understand and solve
distressing
psychological
problems
Education
• Offers an enjoyable way to share their
professional expertise and to remain
abreast of new developments in their
field
• Hold academic positions
• Supervising practicum- special kind
of teaching relying on the instructor’s
clinical experience to enhance
students’ assessment and treatment
skills
Research
• Hallmark of Clinical Psychology
• Critically evaluate published research to determine
assessment procedures and therapeutic interventions
• Supervise and evaluate research projects conducted by
their students
• Assist the administrators in evaluating the effectiveness
of the program
• Objectively evaluate the effectiveness of their own
work.
Preparation of a
Clinical Psychologist
• Academic degree – MA or PhD
• Must have a good knowledge in psychology
– Psychopathology, psychotherapy,
psychological testing (psychometric and
projective tests), personality theories
• Adequate training in which knowledge in
Clinical Psychology is measured in terms of
how to apply/put into practice