Chapter 21: Mental Health profession

Experimental Psychologists

Designs, conducts, and analyzes experiments to develop knowledge regarding human and animal behavior

Clinical Psychologists

Specializes in assessment and treatment of people with mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and illnesses

Personnel psychologists

Used their skills to hire, assign, and promote employees to increase productivity and job satisfaction

Geropsychologists

Deals with special problems faced by the elderly population

Developmental psychologists

Studies changes in mental, physical, emotional, and social growth in individuals from birth to death

Research psychologist

Study behavior of both humans and animals- may include studies regarding attention, perceptual processes, and substance abuse

Educational psychologists

Design, develop, and evaluate materials and procedures to resolve problems in educational and training programs.

Counseling psychologist

Individual or groups to gain self-understanding, recognize problems, and develop coping mechanisms for their difficulties

Social psychologist

Studies the effects of groups and individuals on thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors of the individual.

Psychometric psychologists

Directly measures human behavior primarily through the use of tests

Engineering psychologists

Deals with design and use of systems and environment in which people live and work

Forensic psychologists

Assist judges and lawyers to understand the psychologists aspects of criminal cases

Health psychologists

Promote good health through health maintenance counseling programs to help people achieve health-oriented goals

School psychologists

Focus is on developing programs for improving the intellectual, social, and emotional development of childrens in an educational setting or school

Industrial psychologists

Uses scientific techniques to deal with problems of motivation and morale in the work setting

Rehabilitation Psychologists

Works with disabled people, either independently or in groups to assess the degree of disability and develop ways to correct or compensate for these impairments

Neuropsychologists

Study the relationship between the brain and behavior. Often work in stroke and head injury programs

How is it finding a job with a bachelor’s degree in psychology?

Limited prospects

Who are job opportunities best for in the psychology field?

Those with a doctoral degree in a subfield

What is needed for independent practice for a psychologist?

A doctoral degree

How long does it take to get a doctoral degree?

About 5 years of graduate study, culminating in a dissertation based on original research

Where must psychologists who are in independent practice or offer any type of patient care be licensed?

All 50 states and the district of Columbia

What do clinical and counselling psychologists usually need?

A doctorate in psychology, an approved internship, and one to two years of professional experience

What do the educational requirements for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors range from?

High school diploma to master’s degree

When must substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors be licensed?

When they wish to work in a private practice setting

What are the requirements, along with a license as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, or mental health counselor to work in private practice?

2,000 to 4,000 hours of supervised clinical experience and a master’s degree

What must these counselors do on an annual basis?

Take CEUs and pass a state-recognized exam

How many psychologists are self-employed?

31%, mainly as private practitioners and independent consultants

What does employment growth for psychologists vary by?

Specialty

What do psychologists study?

The behavior of individuals or groups to ascertain and understand fundamental processes of human behavior and the human mind.

Where do most substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors work?

Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers

Who has the best job prospects for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?

Those with specialized training or education

What does mental health refer to?

An individual’s psychological and emotional well-being and the individual’s ability to function in ordinary life

What are substance abuse counselors also called?

Addiction counselors

What do substance abuse counselors do?

Advise individuals dealing with alcoholism, illegal drug addiction, and other addictions

What do behavioral disorder counselors do?

Advise individuals how to modify their behavior to deal with specific aspects of their life, often associated with eating.

What types of settings so counselors work in with their clients and why?

In individual and group settings to teach patients how to cope with stress and life’s problems in ways that will help them recover

Where do 29% of counselors work?

In either outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers or in nursing and residential care facilities

What are some places besides outpatient mental health facilities and nursing care facilities that counselors can work?

Hospitals, state and local governments, or individual and family settings

What does the wide span of educational requirements depend on for counselors?

Employment setting

Range of responsibilities

Type of work

State regulations

True or False: Those with a higher level of education need the same level of supervision as those possessing a high school diploma in regards to counselling

FALSE, they need less supervision

When do license and certification requirements vary by state for counselors?

When they do not work in private practice.

How are job opportunities looking for counselors?

Outlook is good, especially for those with specialized education and training

Why are some counselors forced to leave the occupation early?

Because of the large amounts of stress in their job

What types of employees do employers find difficulty hiring in counseling?

Those with proper education requirements and with experience working with addiction.

What does psychology examine?

Both normal and abnormal aspects of human behavior

What do psychologists use highly developed skills and knowledge to do?

To identify, prevent, and solve various problems of human behavior

What is psychology as a health career?

One of the allied professions devoted to mental health

What are some places that psychologists work?

Mental health and rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and private practice

What determines a psychologist’s working conditions?

Their specialty and place of employment

What might psychologists employed in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health facilities have to do?

Work shifts in the evenings and weekends

Why is being a clinical or counseling psychologist in private practice beneficial?

You get to have your own office and set your own hours

Which psychologists have the best schedules and hours?

Those in government and industry have great schedules and those who work in schools or clinics have the most regular hours.