What is clinical psychology?
The definition, scope, activities, settings and subspecialties of clinical psychology, and how it differs from neighbouring professions.
Learning modules
Each module follows the same structure: objectives, a short introduction, chunked explanations, an original example, an interactive activity, a knowledge check, a summary and further reading.
Foundations of the profession
What clinical psychology is, how it developed, how it differs from related professions, and how people train for it.
Foundations and early history
From ancient mind–body ideas to Witmer's first psychological clinic, Binet's test, the mental hygiene movement and the First World War.
Recent history: from the Second World War to today
How post-war demand, the Boulder and Vail conferences, new therapies, medication and the biopsychosocial model reshaped the profession.
Becoming a clinical psychologist
The training road map described in the textbook, how it compares with routes in India, and the competencies that matter at every stage.
Research and scientific reasoning
Experimental logic, validity, outcome research, meta-analysis and the psychometric ideas behind every test score.
Research design and validity
Variables, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, between-, within- and mixed-group designs, single-case and correlational methods, and threats to validity.
Treatment outcome research and evidence appraisal
Strategies for testing treatments, statistical versus clinical significance, meta-analysis, empirically supported treatments and how to appraise a study.
Psychometrics: reliability, validity and screening accuracy
The measurement ideas behind every test score: reliability, validity, norms, standard error, sensitivity, specificity and why screens are not diagnoses.
Theoretical models and formulation
Eight approach profiles — from psychodynamic to diathesis–stress — compared on the same ten dimensions.
Theoretical models: why orientation matters
What a theoretical orientation is, how the four classic models differ, and why the field has moved toward integration.
The psychodynamic approach
Unconscious processes, defences, early relationships and insight — from Freud through neo-Freudians to object relations.
The behavioural approach
Classical and operant conditioning, social learning, functional analysis, exposure and contingency management.
The cognitive and cognitive-behavioural approach
Beliefs, appraisals and attributions; the cognitive model; and structured, collaborative cognitive-behavioural therapy.
The humanistic approach
Client-centred therapy, Maslow's hierarchy and Gestalt therapy: subjective experience, growth and the healing relationship.
The family systems approach
Systems thinking and five variants — communication, structural, strategic, Milan and narrative approaches.
Integrative psychotherapy
Theoretical integration, common factors and technical eclecticism — three routes to combining approaches.
Biopsychosocial formulation
Engel's model as a practical tool: integrating biological, psychological and social factors with the 4P formulation grid.
Diathesis–stress and related explanatory models
Vulnerability and stress, reciprocal gene–environment effects, and how psychosocial factors influence biology.
Psychological assessment
Interviewing, mental status examination, observation, cognitive, neuropsychological and personality assessment, inference and reports.
Clinical interviewing and the mental status examination
Goals of assessment, rapport, listening skills, types of interview, the mental status examination, structured interviews and threats to accuracy.
Behavioural observation, self-monitoring and checklists
Naturalistic and controlled observation, self-monitoring, checklists and inventories, physiological measures — and how to use them responsibly.
Cognitive, intellectual and neuropsychological assessment
Theories of intelligence, how intelligence is measured, neuropsychological approaches, and the controversies around cognitive testing.
Personality assessment: objective and projective methods
What personality is, whether it is stable, objective inventories, projective techniques and the evidence debate.
Clinical inference, judgement and assessment reports
How clinicians combine information, common judgement errors, clinical versus actuarial prediction, and writing an integrated, useful report.
Psychotherapeutic interventions
Goals, stages and modes of psychotherapy, biological and social interventions, and what research says about effectiveness and harm.
Psychotherapy: goals, stages and modes
What psychotherapy aims to do, what all therapies share, the seven stages of treatment, individual, group, couple and family modes, and biological and social interventions.
Essential questions about psychotherapy
Does therapy work? Is longer better? Who drops out? Is one therapy best? What are the common factors? Can therapy harm?
Specialisations, consultation and teaching
Health, child, neuro-, geriatric and forensic specialisations, and the consulting, teaching and administrative roles of psychologists.
Areas of specialisation
Clinical health psychology, child clinical and paediatric psychology, clinical neuropsychology, geropsychology and forensic psychology.
Consultation, teaching and administrative roles
Consultant roles and types, the stages of consultation, challenges, and teaching and administration in academic and non-academic settings.
Ethics and professional practice
Ethical principles and standards, confidentiality and its limits, boundaries, and a structured approach to dilemmas — including the Indian context.
Ethical principles and standards
Ethics versus law, the five general principles and ten standards of the APA code, competence, integrity, confidentiality, dual relationships and why good psychologists slip.
Ethical decision-making, confidentiality limits and risk
A structured process for ethical dilemmas, the limits of confidentiality, documentation, supervision, cultural humility, research ethics and responding to risk.
Contemporary issues and development
Trends since 2005, evidence-based practice, diversity, technology, and lifelong professional learning.
Current and future trends and challenges
Diversity, technology, economics, managed care, prescription privileges, specialisation and training — and what has changed since 2005.
Evidence-based practice, diversity and lifelong learning
Integrating research, expertise and client context; cultural adaptation; research-to-practice translation; and building a habit of ongoing learning.
Showing 29 modules.