Profession Of Clinical Psychology Research Articles

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work of clinical psychologists in Austria: results of a mixed-methods study.

Clinical psychologists in Austria shouldered a large part of the massive increase in demand for mental health services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to find out how the pandemic affected their work and to gather information on how best to support the profession in the event of a crisis. N = 172 Austrian clinical psychologists participated in a cross-sectional online survey between 11 April 2022 and 31 May 2022, including both closed and open-ended questions about their work. Open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A mixed-methods analysis was conducted to test correlations between the categories derived from the qualitative analysis and professional variables. The analyses revealed that clinical psychologists, especially those with more years of experience, perceived an increased need for clinical psychological treatment, especially for children and adolescents, a lack of coverage for clinical psychological treatment by health insurance, a change to remote treatment formats, and a number of burdens associated with complying with COVID-19 measures. Clinical psychologists reported an urgent need to increase resources in both outpatient and inpatient settings and to promote health insurance coverage. To support the clinical psychology profession in providing high-quality work in times of crisis, there is a need to facilitate more opportunities for team and peer exchange, as well as financial support in the event of loss of income.

A qualitative evaluation of mentors’ experiences of a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mentor scheme for clinical psychologists

ABSTRACT Objectives Inequalities in the clinical psychology profession extend to the uptake and recruitment of clinical psychologists from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. Mentoring schemes can help facilitate mentee’s personal and professional development. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mentors who participated in the BAME mentor scheme at University of Bath. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with N = 29 mentors (both trainee and qualified clinical psychologists), who predominately identified as female and White British. The reflexive thematic analysis six-step process was employed to analyse the data. Results Four major themes were generated; (1) Mentoring as a learning curve; (2) Mentoring in the context of BAME; (3) Why we mentor: The impact; and (4) Moving the scheme forward: What next? Conclusions Overall, mentoring was a rewarding experience for mentors, and given the right support, could help strengthen the mentoring experience and aims of the scheme for the future. These findings offer insight and guidance for future mentoring programmes considering diversifying the clinical psychology profession.

The necessity and the challenges for a unified model of clinical psychology: A commentary on Salvatore et al., 2022

Salvatore et al. (2022) have contributed a most important commentary about how patients and the profession of Clinical Psychology are at considerable risk as the trend towards specialization has meant that even core constructs in our field are not universally endorsed. A science without fundamental agreement about foundational concepts is at great risk. They go on to make several salient suggestions to facilitate addressing this substantial problem. In this commentary, the author strongly agrees with their concern and applauds their suggested next steps towards a resolution. He argues that all scientific pursuits benefit from both theory and research that has a broad focus as well as a very specialized focus. Advances in cell biology, for example have created a new and vital field of gene editing. The difficulty is when health care provider psychologists can no longer have dialogues about shared and overlapping theory and practice. Examples of collaborative work in World War II technology research and in the development of Chaos Theory are cited, as well as the philosopher Stephen Pepper's argument about the role of root hypotheses. He proposes beginning a process of an international working group to assist in this effort to reunify our field. He also cautions and specifies the significant obstacles to this endeavor.

Psychological Impact and Clinical Psychology Responses to COVID-19

Abstract. This paper examines four different countries with distinct health care systems to explore both global commonalities and national differences in terms of the psychological impact and the clinical psychological response to COVID-19 ( Torales et al., 2020 ). Through four descriptive case examples from Bangalore in India, Holguín in Cuba, Virginia in the United States, and Leicester in the United Kingdom, this paper describes and explores how the profession of clinical psychology in each country has responded and adapted to the pandemic. Each case example considers how the pandemic has led to the adoption of new ways of practice by clinical psychologists who have the potential to contribute to the provision of more equal access to mental health care and so ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3).

From the margins to the NICE guidelines: British clinical psychology and the development of cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis, 1982–2002

Although histories of cognitive behaviour therapy have begun to appear, their use with people with psychosis diagnoses has received relatively little attention. In this article, we elucidate the conditions of possibility for the emergence of cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis (CBTp) in England between 1982 and 2002. We present an analysis of policy documents, research publications and books, participant observation, and interviews with a group of leading researchers and senior policy actors. Informed by Derksen and Beaulieu’s articulation of social technologies, we show how CBTp was developed and stabilised through the work of a variety of overlapping informal, academic, clinical, professional, and policy networks. The profession of clinical psychology played a key role in this development, successfully challenging the traditional ‘division of labour’ where psychologists focused on ‘neurosis’ and left ‘psychosis’ to psychiatry. Following Abbott's systems approach to professions, we identify a number of historical factors that created a jurisdictional vulnerability for psychiatry while strengthening the jurisdictional legitimacy of clinical psychology in providing psychological therapies to service users with psychosis diagnoses. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence played a significant role in adjudicating jurisdictional legitimacy, and its 2002 schizophrenia guidelines, recommending the use of psychological therapies, marked a radical departure from the psychiatric consensus. Our analysis may be of wider interest in its focus on social technologies in a context of jurisdictional contestation. We discuss the implications of our study for the field of mental health and for the relationship between clinical psychology and psychiatry.

Organizational perspectives on outdoor talking therapy: Towards a position of 'environmental safe uncertainty'.

ObjectivesThere is growing support within the therapy professions for using talking therapy in alternative environments, such as outdoor spaces. The aim of the present study was to further understand how the organizational culture in clinical psychology may prevent or enable practitioners to step outside the conventional indoor consulting room.DesignInformed grounded theory methodology was used within a pragmatist philosophy.MethodsParticipants (N = 15; nine male, six female) were identified using theoretical sampling. The sample consisted of experts and leaders within the profession of clinical psychology (e.g., heads of services, training programme directors, chairs of professional bodies, and developers of therapy models; M years in the profession = 34.80, SD = 9.77). One‐to‐one interviews and analysis ran concurrently over 9 months (April–December 2020). Mason’s model of safe uncertainty was drawn upon to illuminate and organize themes.ResultsThe main themes comprised organizational factors that either support a practitioner in maintaining a position of curiosity and flexibility towards the environment where therapy is located (‘environmental safe uncertainty’), or push them towards adopting a more fixed position (‘environmental certainty’). Themes included influences from therapy traditions, accessibility of alternative environments, internalized risk, workplace subcultures, business models, biomedical approaches, and the COVID‐19 pandemic.ConclusionsWhether therapy is located in a consulting room, outdoors, clients’ homes, or digitally, practitioners, clients, and services are encouraged to maintain a position of environmental safe uncertainty.Practitioner Points The therapy process and outcomes are influenced by the physical environment in which talking therapy is situated.Practitioners have often remained fixed in their preferred therapy environment, such as the indoor consulting room, without exploring the potential benefits of alternative environments or involving the client in this decision‐making (i.e., ‘environmental certainty’).Outdoor environments, as well as other alternatives to the consulting room (e.g., digital, home visits, and public places), can support access to therapy, subsequent engagement, and therefore health care equity.Practitioners and clients are encouraged to adopt a position of ‘environmental safe uncertainty’, which is defined as having openness, critical curiosity, and collaboration regarding the therapy environment and the possibility of other environments being more conducive to therapy.

What’s it all about?

Published in 1998, this piece takes a broad look at how the profession of clinical psychology could develop in the future. The issues discussed are still powerfully relevant today.

Social exclusion:Hear my voice

The following article details a journey of social exclusion. The article details experiences of exclusion from childhood, including time spent in prison, the difficulties faced post-velease, and experiences of being a single parent and attending university later in life. The article aims to give voice to the excluded, and to challenge the profession of clinical psychology to think further about haw it can best tackle social exclusion and broaden access to the profession.

Clinical supervision in older adult mental health services

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how supervision is applied in the context of National Health Service services for older adults, with particular regard to the profession of clinical psychology and psychotherapy. Design/methodology/approach The clinical supervision theories that are considered in this exploration are the Seven-Eyed Model (Hawkins and Shohet, 2012) and the Cyclical Model (Page and Wosket, 2015). The discussion also integrates an overview of psychological dynamics as presented by the existing literature with the author’s reflections on the influence of ageing stereotypes in the therapeutic work with older adults. Findings The theoretical models of clinical supervision considered can offer a robust framework and pathway for supervisory work in psychology and psychotherapy for older people. However, this alone seems insufficient and needs to be combined with the supervisor’s knowledge on psychology of ageing as well as their own self-reflection on internalised ageing stereotypes. Practical implications The paper suggests a need for health care professionals, providing clinical supervision on older adult therapeutic work, to be familiar with the aspects analysed. Originality/value Clinical supervision handbooks overlook aspects related to age as an issue of difference. This paper adds value to the clinical work with older people through a novel attempt to link implications of ageing stereotypes with the therapeutic and supervisory practice.

Poetry as Disruptive Pedagogy: Raising Therapists in the Faculty of Science

In this paper I invite further dialogue about the art of introspection in psychology, turning inwards, slowing down, and also contemplating how distress is situated in place and time. Poetry serves as both a form of inquiry and communication, one which can begin conversations with oneself and students beyond the technical demands of the profession of clinical psychology. It can help to position therapy, as both an interpersonal encounter and cultural artefact, rather than solely an expert-driven enterprise. My field, as a science needs interrupting by the humanities, by both phenomenology and politics. I will then demonstrate how I have used specific works of poetry as a pedagogical tool, to introduce my seminars and open the hearts of my students. Poetry offers a means by which students can be moved not only taught; to rediscover their own internal experience, to wonder about that of others, or engage in critical reflection rather than simple action. This paper is written loosely; semi-bricolage, and will include excerpts from a variety of works of poetry, including original pieces and a number of vignettes from the classroom and clinic.

Clinical psychology in Britain: A brief history

This article came about because we recently curated a small exhibit to represent the history of the clinical psychology profession for the University of Chester’s Health and Social Care Museum. I wrote this to accompany the artefacts, and we are working on an account of the development of the local service. We would be interested to know if anyone else has tried to do this; information about staff and services does not seem to have been saved in any coherent way, which makes for a challenging task.

The representation of minority ethnic groups in the clinical psychology profession

The recent Equality, Diversity and Inclusion declaration from the British Psychological Society (BPS, 2017) suggests it’s timely to review the representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups in the clinical psychology profession. This article represents one view within the broader complex debate surrounding diversity. This article is not intended to be a systematic review, but rather an update and summary focusing on the representation of BAME groups across the clinical psychology career pathway from undergraduate to applicant for clinical psychology training and qualified clinical psychologist status.

Reflections on organising the power, interest and psychology conference

And then there were six…It was mostly with feelings of relief that members of the Midlands Psychology Group (MPG) reached the end of the two-day Power, Interest and Psychology Conference. As conference co-organisers, it seemed we had achieved the overall aims and that much time had been spent paying tribute, remembering and celebrating David Smail’s ideas. At the same time, individual members of the group, to varying degrees, experienced mixed feelings about the two days. We continue to think and talk together about these and about the continued influence of David’s ideas on the profession of clinical psychology.

They're NICE and Neat, but Are They Useful? A Grounded Theory of Clinical Psychologists' Beliefs About and Use of NICE Guidelines.

Guidelines have many benefits, but the current pressure for services to be 'NICE compliant' may be having unintended negative as well as positive effects. Lack of implementation may be partly the result of active choice by clinicians concerned to use the full range of professional skills and to offer flexibility and choice to service users. The current context is creating a perverse incentive for clinicians to say one thing but do another. This is problematic for services and a potential threat to the profession of clinical psychology.

Women and leadership in clinical psychology: Time for action and solutions?

This article highlights the continuing issue of the underrepresentation of women in senior positions in the NHS and in particular the profession of clinical psychology. The paper suggests some ideas about why this might be and puts forward recommendations to address these inequalities, specifically in the context of recruiting and training future clinical psychologists.

Feminine and masculine personality traits: Reflections on opportunities and challenges to a career in clinical psychology

In this paper I will reflect on traditional ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ traits. I will discuss the potential import of such traits to the profession of clinical psychology, considering the opportunities and challenges masculinity and femininity present across the career pathway, including entry to the profession and progression into leadership positions.

A Case for Using Ability-Based Emotional Intelligence Measures in the Selection of Trainee Psychologists

At present, selection into Masters and Doctorate level Clinical Psychology programs in many countries largely relies upon undergraduate grades (i.e., Grade Point Average; GPA) and the honors year thesis. The use of objective, non-cognitive measures of ability are virtually non-existent. One measure seemingly relevant to the field of clinical psychology is the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), an ability-based measure of emotional intelligence (EI). EI, the ability to identify and regulate one’s own (and others’) emotions, may act as a worthwhile predictor of performance within domains requiring advanced communication and empathy skills, such as clinical psychology. Testing a sample of first year Masters of Clinical Psychology students ( n = 9), this study investigated the relationship between EI as measured by the MSCEIT, performance in clinical tasks (simulated Cognitive Behavioral assessment and Cognitive Therapy (CT) competencies), and GPA. Despite a modest sample size, results indicated a significant correlation between EI and results from the clinical tasks, but there was no significant relationship between assessment performance and GPA. Implications to higher education selection and the clinical psychology profession are discussed.

Time for courage: a reflective dialogue on the state of the clinical psychology profession

Articulated via an interplay of internal and external dialogues between the ‘author’ and imaginary/real-life characters, this piece offers a reflection on the state of the clinical psychology profession in the UK. Drawing purposefully on the narrative structure of Life of Pi, a common theme emerging in these dialogues is a concern that the profession is in danger of being devoured by a dangerous lack of tolerance for diverse models of psychological therapy. Like Pi, some in the profession will require courage to survive in the company of such intolerance.

Establishing and sustaining clinical psychology in Bangladesh

We summarise the development of clinical psychology training at the University of Dhaka from 1995 to the present. It was based on two principles: That it would be sustainable in the long-term, and that it would based on evidence-based practice. The project was initially supported by the UK Overseas Development Agency. We highlight the challenges and successes of creating within Bangladesh a new profession of clinical psychology.

The Tour de NICE and the art of deception

Clinical Psychology Forumaims to publish a variety of contributions ranging from personal reflections on clinical practice to critiques of current health policy. The following is a reflection on the direction of the profession of clinical psychology. Please note that the views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the position of either the Division of Clinical Psychology or the British Psychological Society.