¶ … old, the profession of clinical psychology is "one of the most vigorous fields of psychology," (Reisman, 1991, p. 3). Clinical psychology refers generally to both social science research and application of that research to achieve specific clinical goals related to mental health. Since its inception in the 1890s, the field has changed and evolved dramatically (Benjamin, 2005). Earliest forms of clinical psychology included working with asylum patients, which often entailed using a variety of techniques that are now deemed unethical or harmful. The rise of psychoanalysis based on Freud's teachings led to the 20th century being an era in which talk therapy prevailed. Research on different models of talk therapy has informed best practices in general. However, recent changes to the field of clinical psychology attempt to distinguish between the types of quantifiable evidence that can be gained from empirical research using psychopharmacological interventions on the one hand and less tangible, less measurable means like counseling on the other hand. Clinical psychology seeks to establish itself as a social science, which is why research and statistics play a major role in the field.
Clinical psychology distinguishes itself from other social science professions in a number of ways. The field of clinical psychology is also broad. Generally, clinical psychology emphasizes research and evidence-based practice. The field has considerable overlaps with other fields including psychiatry and counseling psychology. As clinical psychology is focused on individual or micro-level variables of analysis, the field is clearly distinguished from that of social work. Clinical psychology also relies on both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Unlike psychiatry, clinical psychology does not necessarily depend on medical interventions but does include medical interventions when they are indicated by research....
Therefore, clinical psychologists frequently work with other members of a healthcare team including psychiatrists or social workers.
Some clinical psychologists remain dedicated to scientific research or academia, whereas others are practitioners. Researchers inform practice, but often clinical data is gathered not from real-world interventions but with targeted clinical trials. It is difficult to bridge the gap between research and practice, as professional clinical psychologists who only see clients and who do not perform research may become disconnected from emerging science and not providing clients with the most effective or cutting-edge interventions. As Lilienfeld, Lynn & Lohr (2015) point out, one of the most significant problems with clinical psychology is the fact that practitioners "routinely neglect research evidence," and "commonly administer therapeutic and assessment methods that are either unsupported or inadequately tested," (p. 1). Just as lobotomies and other invasive procedures characterized some of the early foibles of the field, pseudoscientific therapies remain an issue affecting both the credibility of the field and client outcomes.
Ideally, clinical psychologists remain ethically and professionally committed to evidence-based practice. Clinical psychologists are, however, entitled to recommend or even perform therapeutic interventions not necessarily rooted in evidence but which may nevertheless be beneficial to the client so long as professional ethical standards are being maintained (Barlow, 2011). It is important to note that even some of the most established trends in the field of clinical psychology may not be scientific in nature. For example, Freudian psychoanalysis, long a standard talk therapy modality, has…
