Introduction to clinical psychology

Introduction to clinical psychology

Clinical psychology is a professional, typical, applied and scientific branch of psychology that deals with both normal and abnormal people, also deals with person having severe psychological disorder and even deals to solve everyday problems of individuals.

Clinical psychologists have to deals with these three components to treat patients. These are subject matter of psychology:

• A: Affective component (emotions)
• B: Behaviors
• C: cognition

Definition of clinical psychology:

Clinical psychology integrates science, theory and practice in order to understand, predict and alleviates psychological disorders and disturbances.

Detail explanation of definition:

Integrates means to emerge or combine. Different theories and school of thoughts concepts combine together to produce knowledge using science, theory and practice. firstly we will discuss half part of definition in three terms science, theory and practice.

Science: In clinical psychology, psychologist must have scientific attitude and uses scientific measurement.

• Scientific attitude: means clinical psychologist must have objective attitude (without any biases). He/she must have skeptical attitude (doubtful attitudes to acquire proper and accurate knowledge).
• Scientific measurements: clinical psychologist uses different methods and psychological assessment (scientific or systematic way to collect data of an individual to reach its conclusion. Have two types of assessment. Formal assessment: assessment done by using standardize tools i.e. psychological test ( TAT, HTP etc.). Informal assessment: Assessment down by without using any standardize way. e.g. behavioral observation and mental status examination.

Theory: A theory is a set of accepted beliefs or systematic principles that explain and

guide the analysis. Theories help to access the problem of patients. If the theories are made

consistent (stay similar after researching again), they become law.  

Practice: Clinical psychologist uses science and theories to treat patients, have practice and experience. Practice is an important process to treat patients

Why we need science, theory and practice?

In order to understand, predict and alleviates the psychological disorders and disturbances. The second half part gives answer to this question and that is the goal of the clinical psychology.