The Evolution of Clinical Psychology

The Evolution of Clinical Psychology

When people think about clinical psychology they see the couch stereotypical as it is. Well

the truth is Clinical psychology has come a long way since the days of lying on a couch and pouring

out your emotional problems. Defined by the Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and

Proficiencies in 2004 a clinical psychologist is:

Clinical psychology is a general practice and health service provider specialty in psychology.

Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose, predict, prevent, and treat psychopathology, mental

disorders, and other individual or group problems to improve behavior, adjustments, adaption,

personal effectiveness, and satisfaction. (p.1)

Long before psychology was considered a science it was practiced (Benjamin, 2005).

Throughout history people have suffered with psychological problems and there have been seers,

psychics, mediums, physiognomists, and phrenologists the help them deal with the problems

(Benjamin, 2005). After the American Revolution lunatic asylums were monitored by psychiatrists it

was not until the 1960s when federal legislation put an end to it (Benjamin, 2005).

In 1897 Lightener Witmer opened the first psychological clinic and began to evaluate and

treat patients (Benjamin, 2005). His first was a 14 year old boy with spelling problems which he

successfully treated. While his clinical practices are not mirrored in today’s clinical psychology what

he did for the science is very important (Benjamin, 2005). He developed new and innovative

treatment programs to help his patients, he adapted research tools to be used as diagnostic ones

(Benjamin, 2005).

James Cattell coined the phrase “mental test” in 1890 (Benjamin, 2005). These mental

tests included what Cattell believed were measures of intelligence. Which were used to predict

academic success (Benjamin, 2005). WWI put clinical psychologists to work with the military by