Exam #1

Tuesday, September 15th, 2026

What are some misconceptions about clinical psychologists?

• are you analyzing me right now?

• do you know what I am thinking?

• Can you help me with my mental health concerns?

• clinical psychologists are the same as psychiatrists

• all therapists are clinical psychologists

What are the comebacks for misconceptions about clinical psychologists?

• proper assessment and diagnosis is complex

• training does not grant mind-reading powers

• it is not ethical to provide services to students, colleagues, friends or famlly but is is appropriate to share resources/referrals

• psychiatrists prescribe medication

• estimated 12% of therapists are clinical psychologists

What is clinical psychology?

uses science and practice to understand, prevent, and treat mental health programs

What are clinical psychologists?

requires a doctoral degree (Phd or PsyD)

they assess, diagnose, and treat those with emotional, behavioral, and/or cognitive difficulties

treated scientifically (research) and practically (clinical)

work with a wide range of clients, settings, and solve extensive problems

adopt a holistic perspective

What are major activites of clinical psychologists?

• intervention

• diagnosis/assessment

• research

• teaching

• clinical supervision

• consultation

• administration

What are clinical psychology jobs?

• private practice

• clinic at a hospital

• psychology professor

• researcher

Why is diversity in clinical psychology important?

• inclusion of diverse samples, underrepresented groups in research

• understand the role of culture and diversity

• effort to make mental health treatment more accessible to all

What are psychiatrists?

• degree: MD or DO (DO is more holistic and preventative care)

• licensure: medical license; board certification

• diagnose, assess, treat, study mental health problems and disorders

• attibute biological causes (and brain abnormalities) to mental health problems

• use medical approaches (medication and electrical or magnetic stimulation of particular brain regions) for treating patients

• mostly work in private practice

What are psychiatric nurses?

• degree: RN with MA or Phd

• licensure: APRN

• specializing in treating psychiatric patients, diagnosing, creating, and implementing treatment plans

• work in research, teaching, and administration

• can prescribe medication in many states

• increasingly employed in mental health services

What are social workers?

• degree: MSW, PhD, or DSW

• licensure: LCSW (licensed clinical social worker), LCISW (licensed independent clinical social worker)

• provide psychological treatment to individuals and groups, focusing on familial and sociocultural factors underlying psychopathology

• involved in everyday lives, stresses of patients (visitng enviornments where patients spend their lives)

• a third of mental health professionals, working for public agencies, mental health teams, or private practice

What are licensed professional counselors (LPC)?

• degree: masters or doctorte in counseling

• trained to work with individuals and groups, emphasizing listening and decision-making skills

• work in private practice, community mental health centers, rehab facilities, correctional facilities, schools, colleges, and university counseling centers

• more than any other professional in mental health workforce

What are marriage and family therapists?

• degree: masters (MA) or doctorate (PhD)

• licensed: diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional problems

• attend to maritial/couple conflict, parent-child conflict, substance abuse, sexual dysfunction, grief, dementia, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia

• focus on the individual’s behavior in relationships as couples or in families and involve family members in goal-oriented interventions

What terms are unregulated?

• therapists

• psychotherapists

• life coach

What is not reguired of therapists, psychotherapists, and life coaches?

• documentation of appropriate professional training

• passing a licensing exam

• maintaing current knowledge (continuing education)

What are counseling psycholgoists?

• licensed with Phd, PsD, or EdD

• work with healthy individuals or those with adjusment problems (life changes), address social relationships, career decisions, anxiety, eating disorder risks

• work in counseling centers on university campuses or within communities

• measure academic abilities, personality, interests, vocational aptitude

• employed within educational settings, hospitals, rehab centers, mental health clinics, and industrial establishments

What are school psychologists?

• master’s or doctorate

• programs often based in school/department of education

• work in primary and educational school settings, with students, educators, parents, and school administrators

• promote intellectual, social and emotional well-being, may conduct assessments (giftedness, intellectual/learning disabilities, or ADHD) , and develop learning programs and behavior modification programs

What are subfields of psychology with no work in practice?

• developmental psychologists - study how psychological processes change over the lifespan

• social psychologists - study how individuals interact within groups

• cognitive psychologists - study of mental processes (memory, language, perception, and decision-making)

• behavioral neuroscientists - study of the biology of behavior, including how the brain regulates behavior

• quantitative psychologists - study of statistical procedures used in psychology

What are the benefits of collaboration across professions?

collaborative care can improve client/patient outcomes in clinical practice

complementary expertise helps move forward

What are the three models of training in clinical psychology?

• clinical scientists (PhD) - focus on development of research skills

• scientist-practitioner (PhD) - most common, balances science and practice

• practitioner-scholar (PsyD) - “researcher consumer”

What is the scientists-practioner model?

• typically 5-7 years

• training in university departments as a researcher and clinicians

• required clinical internship

• competence in diagnosis, psychotherapy, and research

• goal to marry science and clinical practice

What is the practitioner-scholar model?

• more emphasis on clinical work, less emphasis on research

• master’s thesis often not required

• higher acceptance rate (41%)

• typically 4 years but more expensive (PsyD)

• check APA accreditation

What is the clinical scientists model?

• shift back toward research focus; prepare students for research careers

• manifesto: psychological services should not be administered to the public until

  • exact nature of the service is described clearly

  • claimed benefits of the service stated explicitly

  • claimed benefits are validated scientifically

  • possible negative side effects that outweigh any benefits must be ruled out empirically

What are the APA requirements for doctoral training?

• discipline-specific knowledge

  • history and systems

  • basic content areas

  • advanced integrative knowledge

  • methods of inquiry/research

• profession-wide competencies

What does doctoral training actually look like?

• 5-7 years

• coursework

• research with primary mentor

• supervised clinical training

• graduate assistantship (research, teaching, or clinical)

• competitive predoctoral internship

Why is obtaining research experience important when applying to grad school?

• figure out whether you like this type of work

• learn about the type of research questions that interest you the most

• become educated regarding the scientific questions under investigation

How do you become a competitive applicant for grad school?

• work in a lab as a volunteer

• work as an RA for credit toward your major

• complete an honors thesis

• work as a post-baccalaureate research assistant and get paid

Do you need clinical expereince when applying for grad school?

• can learn lots of valuable skills, but you are not expected to have experience to apply

• prioritize research if applying for a clinical PhD program

What type of application is a PhD?

mentorship, applying to work with 1 or 2 specific mentors

What type of application is a masters or PsyyD?

program based, applying to be accepted into the program

How many applicants get accepted to clinical psychology PhD programs?

estimated 15%, 2-10% for highly competitive programs

How will I be evaluated in my grad school application?

• educational background

  • overall GPA

  • grades in specific classes

• GRE

  • Psychology RE (optional)

• personal statement

  • demonstrate evidence of your potential to become an independent investigator

What are topics to talk about in a grad school interview?

• your research interests

  • what ideas could you bring to the table

• experiences that shaped your interest

• any clinical experience

What are topics to ask about in a grad school interview?

• future directions of faculty/lab research

• mentorship style

• opportunties for collaboration

What are the requirements for clinical psychology licensuer?

• docotral level graduate training (Phd or PsyD)

• additional clinical experience

  • ~ 2000 hour pre-doctoral clinical internship

  • ~2000 hour post-doctoral clinical experience (1-2 year fellowship)

• examination of Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)

  • Part 1: General Knowledge (required)

  • Part 2: Competencies (sometimes required)

• state or territory specific jurisproudence exams

Why is licensing important?

• ensure consistent practices in the field and assess

  • knowledge in broad bases of human behavior

  • competencies needed to ethically and appropriately work with clients

  • information specific to state laws regarding ethics, regulations, and rules relevant to the practice of psychology that may vary across different locations

What is board certification?

• through ABPP

• certification involves verification of credentials, handling of clinical cases, and an orl examination conducted by peer experts

• documents expertise within a specific specialty and is considered important in certain disciplines

What is clinical child/adolescent psychology?

• develops and applies scientific knowledge to the delivery of psychological services to infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents within their social context

  • internalizing disorders such as separation anxiety, social anxiety, phobias, depression

  • externailizing disorders such as ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

• collaborate with school psychologists, teachers, pediatricians, and pediatric health psychologists

What is clinical adult psychology?

• represents the majority of clinical psychologists

• provides continuing and comprehensive mental and behavioral health care for individuals and families, consultation to agencies and communities, training, education, supervision, and research-based practice

• focus on adult psychopathology

• collaborate with primary care, psychiatrists, and specialty care

What is clinical health psychology?

• focus on promoting health and well-being and preventing, treating, and managing medical illness and physical disability

• facilitate interventions for

  • reducing unhealthy behaviors

  • engaging in positive health behaviors

  • coping with difficult medical diagnoses

• collaborate with primary care, psychiatrists, social workers, and case managers

What is forensic psychology?

• apply psychological principles to the legal and criminal justice context, performing roles that range from assessment and expert testimony to offender rehabilitation and law enforcement consultation

• work in the courts, correctional facilities, law enforcement agencies, private practice, and academic institutions

• collaborate with law enforcement, legal experts, mental health practitioners, and social workers

What is neuropsychology?

• the scientific study of how brain function influences cognition, behavior, and emotions, combining psychology and neuroscience to assess and treat brain-related conditions

• diagnose cogntive and behavioral effects of brain injuries, strokes, neurodegenerative diseases, or other neurological disorders and design treatment plans and rehabilitation strategies to improve cognitive and emotional function

• collaborate with neurologists, psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, rehabilitation specialists, applied behavior analysis therapists

What is geropsychology?

• applies knowledge and methods of psychology to understanding and helping older persons maintain well-being, overcome problems, and achieve maximum potential during later life

• work in a variety of settings including clinics, home-based primary care, nursing homes, and inpatient facilities

• collaborate with caregivers and family members, geriatricians, neuropsychologists, occupational therapists, nursing staff, and case managers

What is sports psychology?

• focus on performance enhancement, mental skills training, and coping with challenges such as injuries and anxiety

• role includes education, assessment, and intervention

• collaborate with coaching and medical staff, physical therapists, and student-athlete services

What was the APA’s general principles?

not enforcable rules or obligations; they are guidelines

cannot be used as punishment for unethical practice

What are the 5 general principles and ethical standards of the APA?

1. beneficence and nonmaleficence

2. fidelity and responsibility

3. integreity

4. justice

5. respect for people’s rights and dignity

When are the specific ethical standards enforable?

• when psychologists are APA memebers

• even if not an APA member, can be enforced by state licensure board

Violation of specific ethical standards may result in?

• reprimand, censure, or termination from APA

• may have implications for licensure

What are the specific ethical standards clinical psychologists must follow?

• competence

• privacy and confidentiality

• relating with clients

• consenting

How do clinical psychologists show competence?

• practice within the bounds of their competence

• represent their training accurately

• be sensitive to personal attributes of clients

• not allow personal problems to interfere with treatments

• recieive cliencts informced conscent to treatment

• adhere to ethical standards and guidelines

When can a clinical psychologists act against the wishes of a client?

• when someone may be at harm/risk

• when a client has been harmed

• when a client may attempt fatal harl to self

• when the client is a minor

What is one part of privacy and confidentiality?

• harm to others: psychologists will break confidentiality if there is imminent harm to a victim

• set by the Tarasoff case

How are the guidelines fuzzy when there is harm to others?

• legal precedents differ in various states

• unclear qualifier for “imminent” time frame

• ideations of homocide, suicide can be vague

What is a second part of privacy and confidentlity?

• others harming a client: law requires psychologists to report client abuse

• client may feel betrayed and it may damage psychologist-client reltionship

When does reporting become challenging with others harming a client?

• some clients may not want to be reported

• if the perpetrator is present

What is a third part of privacy and confidentlity?

• client self-harm

• Baker Act: allows individuals at imminent risk to be held against their will between 48-72 hours

How does privacy and confidentiality effect minor clients?

• confidentality is not offered to minor clients

• parents can request all details regarding therapy

• therapists discuss benefits of confidentiality in the presence of minor clients

• agree to disclose life-threatening issues

When must psychologists decline working with clients?

• a dual relationship develops with their clients

• therapy no longer helps clients

• treatment is not confident with diagnoses

• clients decide therapy is not longer required

• charging for unnecessary services violates ethical guidelines

What does the therapeutic relationship begin with?

obtaining informed consent

What occurs during obtaining informed consent?

• informing clients about the treatment process

• addressing their fears and myths about treatment

• consent form is read together

• psychologists explain all sections (clauses)

• answers client questions

What ethical standards must clinical psychologists adhere to when conducting research with study participants?

• recieive informed consent from participants

• keep participant data confidential

• exercise extreme care if using deception

• debriefing at the end of research

• not obtaining fraudulent data in any way

What occurs during obtaining informed consent in a research study?

• obtain formal informed consent

• inform participant of any risks, discomforts, limitations on confidentiality

• inform them of compensations

• guarantee participants’ privacy, safety

What occurs for the participant during obtaining informed consent in a research study?

• they have the freedom to withdraw from the study

• should know the general purpose of the study

• should be aware of procedures of conducting study

What must researchers do for confidentialtiy?

• keep participant data and responses confidential

• obtain consent before disclosing confidential information

What is deception?

instances when the purpose of the research or the meaning of participant’s responses is withheld

When is deception used?

• does not influence the participant’s response

• should be used as a last resort

• participants should not feel exploited

• careful debriefing necessary, explaining deception

What is debriefing?

• researchers are legally bound to explain to participants the purpose, importance, and results of the research following their participation

• discuss “expected” results with participants if research is still in progress

• invite them for a (later) briefing if needed

What should the reseacher never do?

• alter obtained data

• practice any kind of dishonest reporting

Wht can fradulent data lead to?

• legal, professional, ethical problems

• publid distrust

What is the importance of ethics and diversity in research?

• discrimination and harassment is not allowed

• must work completely with diverse populations

• use valid and reliable tests

• optimized help and minimize harm to marginalized and multicultural groups