Practice Of Clinical Psychology Research Articles

Development process, clinical utility, and preliminary psychometric evidence of a new tool for screening psychological distress in renal care settings: the Hemodialysis Distress Thermometer (HD-DT)

Objective This study aimed to develop, evaluate the clinical utility, and test the psychometric properties of a new tool – the Hemodialysis Distress Thermometer (HD-DT) – designed to screen self-reported psychological distress and its sources in adults receiving hemodialysis. Methods and Measures Phase 1 focused on the process of developing and evaluating the content validity and clinical utility of the HD-DT using a stepwise mixed-methods approach; in Phase 2, the measurement properties of the European Portuguese version of the HD-DT were tested against reference measures in a cross-sectional study (n = 134 people on hemodialysis); while in Phase 3 the HD-DT was translated and culturally adapted into American English using forward-backward translation and review by a panel of experts. Results Qualitative findings suggested that the HD-DT was perceived by feedback panels as practical and useful for rapidly screening psychological distress in nephrology centers. The European Portuguese version of this new tool showed good test-retest reliability and high diagnostic accuracy using a cutoff point of ≥ 6 for total distress. High convergent validity was found with reference measures that assess psychological health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusion This study highlights the potential clinical utility of the HD-DT as an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure that can be used by health psychologists in clinical practice and research in renal care settings. Data collection to validate the American English version of the HD-DT is currently underway.

Investigation of the relationship between childhood traumas, psychological resilience, cognitive flexibility and emotion regulation skills in adults

Objectives: This paper looked into the relation between childhood traumas, resilience, cognitive flexibility, and adult emotion regulation skills in adults. Methods: The sample, which is based on the relational screening model, includes 395 participants (female: 202, male: 193). Sociodemographic Information Form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Scale and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire were applied to the participants to obtain the research data. Data collection was carried out online (google forms) through convenient sampling. The t-test was used to compare the study's quantitative data, and Pearson Correlation analysis was utilized to test the relationship between the scales. Multiple Linear Regression analysis was used for predictive analysis and finally PROCESS was used for mediator role analysis. Results: The investigation's findings revealed that there is a statistically significant difference between the scores of the two groups compared. Findings showed that there is a moderately positive correlation between acceptance and CTQ scores, a weak positive correlation between acceptance and emotional abuse scores, a weak positive correlation with physical abuse scores, a weak positive correlation with physical neglect scores, a weak positive correlation with emotional neglect scores and weak positive correlation with sexual abuse scores. A weak and negative correlation exists between Putting into Perspective and the CTQ, an even weaker and negative correlation exists between Putting into Perspective and the Emotional Neglect and Sexual Abuse scores. Rumination scores have a weak and negative relationship with emotional abuse scores. Conclusions: In order to prevent them from serving as the foundation for difficulties with adult mental health, it is crucial to understand the relationship between traumatic childhood events and psychological resilience, cognitive flexibility, and cognitive emotion regulation techniques. In order to assist people, analyze their thoughts and feelings, be aware of negative coping mechanisms, rigid, inflexible cognitive styles, and negative thinking patterns, clinical psychology practices will benefit from research on these characteristics.

Recommendations on inclusive language and transparent reporting relating to diversity dimensions for the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology.

Recommendations on inclusive language and transparent reporting relating to diversity dimensions for the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology.

Applying the power threat meaning framework to the UK education system

ABSTRACT The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF; Johnstone & Boyle, 2018a, 2018b) has fundamentally changed both the practice of clinical psychology and the understanding of mental health since its conception in 2018. However, to date the PTMF (Johnstone & Boyle, 2018a, 2018b) has had little application to other contexts, despite being of clear relevance. Once such absence of application is to the educational context. The context of power within education has been outlined before by philosophers such as Michel Foucault, however, the PTMF (Johnstone & Boyle, 2018a, 2018b) elaborates further about how negative power operations create threat and therefore lead to responses of psychological distress. Thus, the PTMF (Johnstone & Boyle, 2018a, 2018b) could elaborate on Foucault’s theories and offer more understanding on the role of power and psychological distress in the field of education. Therefore, this paper will seek to outline the PTMF (Johnstone & Boyle, 2018a, 2018b) and highlight the ways in which the PTMF can apply to education through reference to the school structure, teachers, parents and students.

Editorial: Recommendations on inclusive language and transparent reporting relating to diversity dimensions for the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology.

Editorial: Recommendations on inclusive language and transparent reporting relating to diversity dimensions for the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology.

Practice recommendations and referrals, perceptions of efficacy and risk, and self-rated knowledge regarding complementary medicine: a survey of Australian psychologists

BackgroundMany people with mental health problems use a range of complementary medicine (CM), including over the counter products, practices, and utilise the services of CM practitioners. Psychologists are likely to consult with clients using CM, in some form, as part of their broader mental health care. The aim of this research was to determine the number of types of CM products, practices, and practitioners are recommended and/or referred by Australian psychologists as part of their clinical practice, as well as explore the relationship between psychologists’ perspectives on the risk and relevance of engaging with CM in psychology.MethodsSurvey data was collected from psychologists in clinical practice who self-selected to participate in the study via an online 79-item questionnaire exploring core aspects of CM engagement in psychology clinical practice.ResultsAmongst the 201 psychologists, 5% reported not recommending any type of CM, with 63% recommending four or more types of CM. Further, 25% had not referred to a CM practitioner, while 33% had referred to four or more types of CM practitioner. Psychologists are recommending and referring to CM even when they perceive their knowledge of CM to be poor, and that engaging with CM was a risk.ConclusionThis study provides insights into psychologist perceptions of CM within psychology practice and how these perceptions are associated with rates of recommending and referring to CM as part of their clinical practice. These findings may inform the development of CM relevant education and guidelines for psychologists.

Cognitive-behavioral reciprocity: Testing the bidirectional relationship between antisocial cognition and delinquency.

Although reciprocity between variables is a topic of interest in the field of criminology, we cannot simply assume that all or even most criminological relationships are bidirectional without testing them empirically. The objective of the current investigation was to test whether delinquency and antisocial cognition are reciprocally or bidirectionally related. The hypotheses evaluated as part of the present study proposed that antisocial cognition would predict delinquency, delinquency would predict antisocial cognition, and bidirectional models would display significantly better fit than the unidirectional models on which they are based. Using data from the Pathways to Desistance study (1,354 serious justice-involved youths), I explored whether antisocial cognition predicts delinquency and a change in delinquency and whether delinquency predicts antisocial cognition and a change in antisocial cognition. I paired two forms of antisocial cognition-moral neutralization and cognitive impulsivity-with delinquency to predict a single future outcome with a zero-order correlation and a lagged outcome or change with a partial correlation. Findings showed that 40 out of 40 prospective zero-order correlations and 36 out of 40 prospective partial correlations achieved significance, with moderate and small effect sizes, respectively. Structural equation modeling revealed that the bidirectional models linking moral neutralization to delinquency and cognitive impulsivity to delinquency using lagged outcome measures both achieved significantly better fit than the unidimensional models on which they were based. The results of this study are congruent with the conclusion that the relationship between antisocial cognition and delinquency is reciprocal and that antisocial cognition is as much a predictor of delinquency as delinquency is a predictor of antisocial cognition. Thus, both patterns need to be taken into account for the purposes of theory integration in criminology, clinical practice in forensic psychology, and policy implementation in criminal justice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of death anxiety on fear of missing out

Death Anxiety (DA) and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) are two psychological phenomena that have distinct implications for individuals and their overall quality of life. The Terror Management Theory (TMT) is utilized to bridge the gap between these constructs and extends its understanding to everyday behaviors and psychopathology. The present 2-part study examined the effects of DA and Mortality Salience (MS) on FOMO, respectively. Study 1 included (N = 220; 53% females) participants aged 18 to 38 years (M = 21.48, SD = 3.80) and Study 2 included (N = 175; 53% females) participants aged 20 to 63 years (M = 32.23, SD = 9.43). Results supported the hypotheses, where (1) a strong and positive correlation exists between FOMO and DA; the strength of the correlation weakens, after self-esteem was partially out, and (2) participants in the MS condition who reported higher self-esteem, reported significantly lower levels of FOMO. Practical implications include broadening the TMT literature to advance clinical psychological practice, where new interventions that addresses the effects of FOMO and future translational research are needed to mitigate DA and its detrimental effects. Overall, this novel discovery which involves FOMO serves as a precedent for future TMT studies.

The practice of clinical forensic psychology in Canada: Current landscape and future directions.

The practice of clinical forensic psychology in Canada: Current landscape and future directions.

Making psychology ‘just’? The challenges and opportunities of delivering human rights based pedagogical & experiential teaching to trainee clinical psychologists

There is a long history of human rights violations in healthcare and those perpetrating such human rights violations have included healthcare professionals, including clinical psychologists (Soldz, 2008; Balfe, 2016). Furthermore, individuals who have been subject to human rights violations which can include torture, discrimination, war, genocide, abuse, and trauma to name a few, are more likely to come into contact with mental health services and as a result, with clinical psychologists. Therefore, clinical psychologists have an ethical responsibility to critically engage with and examine issues pertaining to human rights, as well as their own positionality in respect of this (Patel, 2003). To support this examination, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) training programmes should include opportunities for exploration and engagement with Human Rights violations as part of the training of clinical psychologists, however this is not currently consistently the case.In this paper the authors outline and examine the delivery of Human Rights Based teaching to trainee clinical psychologists using pedagogical, participatory and experiential learning techniques. The authors offer qualitative and quantitative feedback from four cohorts of trainee clinical psychologists on the impact of the Human Rights based teaching on their sense of self, their sense of others, their practice, and their ability to critically reflect on clinical psychology as an oppressive structure. The authors present some of the challenges and opportunities of embedding a Human Rights based framework in the teaching and education of trainee clinical psychologists and the implications of this on the practice of clinical psychology. The authors make a case that training institutions which embody principles and values connected to human rights and just psychology are likely to foster a psychological workforce that is attuned with ethics, justice and privilege.

The WHO call for urgent action to advance health equity, set in the context of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UK Equality Act

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) call for urgent action to reduce health inequities for persons with disability is set in the context of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the UK Equality Act, professional obligations and reports of discrimination in clinical psychology practice. Suggestions for immediate professional action are outlined.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Extratherapeutic Factors Leading Criminal Offenders to Successful Rehabilitation

As systems shift from punitive to rehabilitative measures, correctional departments aim to reduce recidivism; however, an overlooked consideration is the quality of systems and interactions to which the person returns to live. In this qualitative study, we examined if extratherapeutic factors were essential for recidivism reduction. We analyzed two interviews conducted with former offenders to examine their lived experiences surrounding incarceration, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Five themes (Loyalty, Situational Stressors, Community, Work/Livelihood, Support System) and one subtheme (Hope) emerged after analyzing the transcribed interviews. Although each participant's experience was vastly different, shared meanings emerged leading to common themes between participants ‘ lived experiences. Interestingly enough, hope emerged as essential for one participant. Results indicated factors influencing change can occur, promoting successful community reentry with assistance from personal support systems. Limitations are covered along with ideas for future research, as well as implications for clinical practice in psychology.

The relationship between psychology practice and complementary medicine in Australia: Psychologists' demographics and practice characteristics regarding type of engagement across a range of complementary medicine modalities.

Many people with mental health problems utilise a range of complementary medicine (CM) practitioners, products, and practices. Psychologists are likely to consult with clients who are seeking and using CM, in some form, as part of their wider mental health treatment. The aim of this research is to determine how much, and in what ways, Australian psychologists recommend CM products and/or practices, and/or initiate referrals to CM practitioners as part of their clinical practice and to explore if these behaviours have any association with the characteristics of the psychologist or their wider practice. Survey data was collected from psychologists in clinical practice who self-selected to participate between February and April 2021. Participation in the study was via an online 79-item questionnaire exploring core aspects of CM engagement in psychology clinical practice. Amongst the 202 psychologists who completed the survey, mind/body approaches (90.5%) were the most recommended CM and cultural/spiritual approaches the least recommended CM (7.5%). Participants also reported referring to CM practitioners with naturopaths the most common focus of their referrals (57.9%) and cultural and spiritual practitioners the least common focus of their referrals (6.69%). Our analysis shows the demographic and practice characteristics of a psychologist are generally not predictors of a psychologist's engagement with CM in their clinical practice. Substantial numbers of psychologists recommend CM products and practices and/or refer clients to CM practitioners. Alongside subjecting CM interventions for mental health to an evidence-base assessment, the broader discipline of psychology needs to also consider psychologist engagement with CM in clinical practice in order to help ensure cultural-sensitivity, client safety and client choice.

Clinical practice in pediatric psychology: The future continues to expand.

Clinical practice in pediatric psychology: The future continues to expand.

The Practice and Importance of Clinical Psychology in Medicine, Pharmacology, Educational Institutions and Workplace

The Practice and Importance of Clinical Psychology in Medicine, Pharmacology, Educational Institutions and Workplace

XIII National Congress of the Research Group in Psychosomatics (RGP).

This Supplement of La Clinica Terapeutica includes abstracts of lectures, symposia, workshops, clinical case presentations and posters of the XIII National Congress of the Research Group in Psychosomatics (GRP). The themtic of Congress is "Multidisciplinarity in psychosomatic perspective" and it represents and ambitious event realized by debating of clinicians of healthcare system. Psychosomatics represents an extraordinary opportunity to improve clinical practice in medicine, psychiatry and clinical psychology by integrating biological, psychological and social factors. The bio-psycho-social model is still the theoretical and practical core of psychosomatics. It allows clinicians to see disease as the result of mechanisms of interaction at the cellular, interpersonal and environmental levels that include personality and familiarity. The congress organized by the GRP for 2023 highlights multidisciplinary approach as a science at the service of psychosomatics capable of providing the clinical tools that allow a complete and accurate assessment according to the principles of the bio-psycho-social model. It allows clinicians to see disease as the result of mechanisms of interaction at the cellular, interpersonal and environmental levels that include personality and familiarity. Such indices are expected to be, among the others, sensitive in recording changes over time, capable of providing additional information according to the principle of incremental validity, able to investigate the person in the complexity linked to suffering and resources. This approach can be an antidote to the reductionist models that clash with clinical reality and that make the patient's visit a kind of distracted listening and subsequent random prescription. Multidisciplinarity and psychosomatic assessment thus become essential in clinical practice and research. The abstracts document how psychosomatics in clinical practice is more timing than ever and adequate for give a home to researchers and clinicians who want to venture off the beaten and clinically unsatisfactory paths of standard nosography.

Editorial.

The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JCCP) has been one of the core scientific journals in clinical psychology for decades, with high-quality, innovative, and cutting-edge research that has shaped the science and practice of the field as it currently stands. It is a great honor to have been selected as the new Editor of JCCP for the next 5 years, starting with this issue. As the new editor, I will first build on the excellent work previous editors have done in making JCCP what it is now, a vehicle for innovation and improvement in the science and practice of clinical psychology. I am proud to lead an excellent team of highly qualified associate and consulting editors (CEs) to preserve and to further strengthen the journal's position. However, innovation also means change and establishing new opportunities that have the potential to further science and practice. In the following, I will describe some ideas and views that will guide the content, structure, and format of JCCP in the coming years. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Reflexivity on medicalisation of the mind and the biomedical invasion on being human

Clinical psychology practice is characterised by three core functions; assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. We challenge the biomedical imperative in clinical psychology through our shared personal experiences in training as clinical psychologists in South Africa. We pose that the training of clinical psychologists historically was and continues to be focused through a biomedical lens. Alluding to the perennial debate on the relevance of psychology and current arguments around the contemporary relevance of clinical psychologists’ training; we propose clinical-community psychology as the main way forward for psychology practice in South Africa. Our position is that in South Africa, clinical psychology training and services should be appropriate and equitable in response to the needs of individuals and communities. We highlight the lack of contextual relevance that has been perpetuated in most of the clinical psychology training programmes. This misplaced historical legacy does not serve the people within the South African context. Current and future clinical psychology training should be re-aligned toward the service of members of the South African communities and settings.

Clinical Practice of Medical Psychology in Pediatrics

Clinical Practice of Medical Psychology in Pediatrics

Uses of Artificial Intelligence in Psychology

Machine learning has a new landscape for humanity in the area of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence (AI) approaches have recently been developed to support mental health professionals, primarily psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinicians, with decision-making based on patients' historical data (e.g., clinical history, behavioral data, social media use, etc.). This article reviews developments in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and their current and potential applications in clinical psychological practice. Issues associated with AI in the context of clinical practice, the potential risk for job loss among mental health professionals, and other ramifications associated with the advancement of AI technology are discussed. The advancement of AI technologies and their application in psychological practice have important implications that can be expected to transform the mental health care field. Psychologists and other mental health care professionals have an essential part to play in the development, evaluation, and ethical use of AI technologies.