A History of Clinical Psychology in Britain: Some Impressions and Reflections

Abstract

Clinical psychology has grown to become the largest field of applied psychology, not only in Britain, but in every other developed country. There has been no previous overall account of this growth, spanning the influence of applied psychology before and during the Second World War, as well as the past fifty years. This development is explored within a conceptual, political, and professional matrix, covering overall themes, such as the impact of the arrival of behaviour and cognitive-behavioural therapy, leading to the acceptance of a broader range of therapies. There have been tensions and conflicts, such as that between the Maudsley Hospital and the Tavistock Clinic, and internal friction within the British Psychological Society. Consideration is given to innovative places, such as the Crichton Royal Dumfries, and creative individuals, such as the Clarkes, as well as other groups of psychologists. The influence of the wider ‘psychologisation of everyday life’, and developing models of training, are analysed.