| Clinical psychology is aimed at | | | | stage where the fruits of psychological |
| understanding and studying human and | | | | research could be effectively applied in |
| animal behavior. Clinical psychologists | | | | a clinical setting. |
| evaluate mental health problems and | | | | The field of clinical psychology |
| conduct and use scientific research to | | | | generally identifies three major |
| understand them. They also develop, | | | | perspectives of practice. They are |
| provide, and assess psychological care | | | | psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and |
| and interventions (psychotherapy). In | | | | humanistic. However, there does exist a |
| America, clinical psychologists are | | | | growing debate regarding the inclusion |
| normally required to hold a Ph.D. or a | | | | of the transpersonal perspective as |
| Psy.D. and often have postgraduate work | | | | well. |
| experience. | | | | The psychodynamic standpoint developed |
| American psychologist Lightner Witmer | | | | out of the psychoanalysis of Sigmund |
| (1867-1956) used the term clinical | | | | Freud. Cognitive behavioral therapy |
| psychology for the first time in a paper | | | | (CBT) formed from the two branches of |
| in 1907. He particularly defined it as | | | | cognitive psychology and behaviorism. |
| the study of individuals, by examination | | | | Humanistic psychology came into being in |
| or experimentation, with the objective | | | | the 1950s. This was largely a reaction |
| of promoting change. The American | | | | to both behaviorism and psychoanalysis, |
| Psychological Association provides a | | | | mainly due to the person-centered |
| more contemporary definition of the term | | | | therapy of Carl Rogers. As such, it is |
| and defines it as the field that | | | | often referred to as Rogerian Therapy. |
| combines science, theory, and practice | | | | It is often argued that humanistic |
| to comprehend and alleviate | | | | psychology is more of an outlook than a |
| maladjustment and disability as well as | | | | set of techniques. |
| to promote human adaptation, adjustment, | | | | Clinical psychology pays attention to |
| and personal development. | | | | the intellectual, emotional, genetic, |
| Clinical psychology developed as a | | | | psychological, and social |
| result of a need for supplementary | | | | characteristics of human functioning |
| clinicians to treat mental health | | | | across the life span at all |
| problems. It also developed partly as | | | | socioeconomic levels. |
| psychological science advanced to the | | | | |