The Imminent Demise of South African (SA) Psychology: A Response to Kagee (2006a,b) and Kagee (2009)

Abstract

In commentary on Kagee (2006a), Swartz (2006) points out that while decrying the lack of empirical evidence in South African clinical psychology, Kagee (2006a) himself does not provide any such evidence for his sweeping statements that SA psychology has become increasingly devoid of an empirical base and that South African mental health professionals have failed to incorporate empirical findings in their clinical work. Swartz (2006) considers this somewhat ironic whereas the major point of the paper is invalidated by this lack of evidence. Nonetheless, Swartz (2006, p. 252) suggests that Kagee (2006a) is probably 'correct overall' yet he imagines that psychology's empirical base has been improving. He further contends that there is much more to the evidence-based paradigm than is considered by Kagee. In response, Kagee (2006b) states that considerable circumstantial evidence exists to support his claims, which he believes is sufficient.