CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY NOTES NO.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY:
ART & SCIENCE
 CP is dedicated to the improvement of human
welfare.
 It springs from research that emphasizes the quest
for knowledge.
 Training suggests that CP must incorporate course
and experience in research will provide unique
skills to establish professional identity.
 METHODOLOGICAL TRAINING develops capacity for
evaluation and an attitude for caustion and
skepticism to permit CP to becaome better, more
perspective diagnosticians and therapist.
 Deals with problems of individuals but the focus is
more often on Individual differences rather than
commonalities among persons.
TWO APPROCHES IN
UNDERSTANDING CP AS ART AND
SCIENCE
1. NOMOTHETIC APPROACH
- Searching for general principles of behavior.
 Generally Less concerned with individual
differences
 FOCUS: Group differences that occurs as a
function of some experimental treatment or
manipulation
 GOAL: Abstraction of general principles of
behavior from the observation of many
people.
2. IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH
- Seeks the understanding of individual
differences: Personal Experiences of the client.
 Diagnostic judgments or therapeutic and
decisions are largely on the basis of personal
skills, experience and subjective or intuitive
awareness.
 FOCUS: Whether CP is an art or science
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, There must be a
way to complement “art and science”
TRAINING TOWARD A CLINICAL
IDIDENTITY
 Provides the unique background and skills that
set clinical psychologist apart from other mental
health professionals.
 This field is changing and there are disagreements
among clinicians about how to train students.
 CP is a specialized application of the most basic
core of psychology
 CP completes a bachelor’s degree, Masters, and
five years of graduate work.
 Graduate work includes:
- Training in Assessment
- Therapeutic skills
- Internship
- Research
- Diagnosis
 The degree Awarded:
- Ph.D (Doctor of Philosophy)
- Psy.D (Doctor of Psychology)
 A doctoral degree is a pre-requisite for the
title of psychologist.
SCIENTIST-PRACTIONER
MODEL – RAIMY, 1950
1. CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAM: Scientist-
Practitioner Model “The Scientist and
practitioner can be combined in one person”
2. COURSEWORK: Basic and advanced courses:
- Understanding the basics that underlie
human behavior
- Strong scientific foundation for student’s
clinical training
- Gives life to the scientist-practitioner model
3. PRACTICUM WORK:
- Exposure to clinical practice.
- It is a work done by an advanced student
that involves practical application of
previous studied theory.
- The practicum will combine the academic
content with practical experience.
4. RESEARCH: Implementations of scientist-
practitioner model requires that students
develop research competencies
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY NOTES NO. 2

5. INTERNSHIP: Professional Adolescence

- Vital part of any training program
- It is the capstone of the student’s previous
experiences in clinical courses and practice.
- Allows student to work full time in a
professional setting
- Provides the intern an opportunity to
expand one’s professional horizon, expand
competencies and integrate what he
learned at the university
- The final element in the three dimensional
world of academics, research and
experience
6. THE QUALIFYING EXAMINATION:
- Comprehensive Examination involves oral
and written and considered an anxiety
provoking experience in their training.
- The test covers all areas of psychology
- Serves as a useful function in ensuring the
student’s overall academic competency
7. ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM
- Credentials
- Financial Capacity
- Letter of Recommendation
- Personal Statement