Glossary

Showing 21 terms.

Safety plan Contemporary update

A collaboratively developed, written plan listing warning signs, coping steps, supports and emergency contacts for a person at risk.

See: Ethical decision-making, confidentiality limits and risk

Scholar-practitioner model Textbook concept

A training model emphasising professional practice informed by research, endorsed at the 1973 Vail conference.

See: Recent history: from the Second World War to today

Scientist-practitioner model Textbook concept

A training model in which clinical psychologists are trained in both research and practice (Boulder, 1949).

See: Recent history: from the Second World War to today, What is clinical psychology?

Screening Contemporary update

Brief assessment to identify people who may need fuller evaluation; not a diagnosis.

See: Psychometrics: reliability, validity and screening accuracy

Self-actualisation Textbook concept

In humanistic theory, the realisation of one's potential.

See: The humanistic approach

Self-efficacy Textbook concept

Bandura's term for a person's belief in their ability to perform a behaviour successfully.

See: The behavioural approach, The cognitive and cognitive-behavioural approach

Self-monitoring Textbook concept

A method in which clients record their own behaviours, thoughts or feelings.

See: Behavioural observation, self-monitoring and checklists

Sensitivity Contemporary update

The proportion of people with a condition whom a test correctly identifies as positive.

See: Psychometrics: reliability, validity and screening accuracy

Single-case design Textbook concept

A research design that repeatedly measures one individual across baseline and intervention phases, such as an ABAB design.

See: Research design and validity

Social determinants of health Contemporary update

Social and economic conditions — income, education, housing, discrimination — that shape health.

See: Biopsychosocial formulation

Social learning Textbook concept

Learning by observing and imitating others, associated with Albert Bandura.

See: The behavioural approach

Specificity Contemporary update

The proportion of people without a condition whom a test correctly identifies as negative.

See: Psychometrics: reliability, validity and screening accuracy

Spontaneous remission Textbook concept

Improvement without treatment.

See: Essential questions about psychotherapy

Standard error of measurement Contemporary update

An estimate of the error in an individual's score, used to construct confidence intervals.

See: Psychometrics: reliability, validity and screening accuracy

Stanford-Binet scales Textbook concept

Intelligence scales derived from Binet and Simon's test and revised by Lewis Terman at Stanford in 1916.

See: Cognitive, intellectual and neuropsychological assessment

Statistical significance Textbook concept

An indication that a result is unlikely to be due to chance alone, given assumptions; says nothing about importance.

See: Treatment outcome research and evidence appraisal

Strategic approach Textbook concept

A family therapy approach that targets problem-maintaining sequences, often using directives.

See: The family systems approach

Structural approach Textbook concept

A family therapy approach focused on boundaries, subsystems and hierarchy.

See: The family systems approach

Structured interview Textbook concept

An interview with standard questions and decision rules, designed to improve reliability.

See: Clinical interviewing and the mental status examination

Summarisation Textbook concept

An interviewing skill that pulls together main points and aids transitions.

See: Clinical interviewing and the mental status examination

Supervision Original elaboration

A professional relationship in which an experienced practitioner oversees and supports another's work.

See: Ethical decision-making, confidentiality limits and risk