Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, First Edition

Book Overview

This valued resource helps practitioners and students evaluate the merits of popular yet controversial practices in clinical psychology and allied fields, and base treatment decisions on the best... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593850700
• ISBN13: 9781593850708
• Release Date: July 2004
• Publisher: The Guilford Press
• Length: 474 Pages
• Weight: 1.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Clarity

Although largely aware of the plethora of pseudoscientific nonsence that besets the field of mental health, it is very refreshing to have this collation of information brought together in one volume. As a clinical psycholgist I am confronted daily by people who have been referred to purveyors of unscientific, and often damaging, "interventions". All too frequently, these people have been referred to such snake-oil sellers by mental health professionals - psychologists, psychaitrists, medical doctors etc. This book, and hopefully further editions of it, should be compulsory reading for everyone seeking to work in the mental health and forensic fields. Only by truly embracing scientific methodology and an unremitting scepticism can we hope to move forward in understanding mental health and criminal problems. Our patients, their families, and the public deserve no less. Alex Montgomery Clinical Psychologist Victoria, Australia

Timely exploration of controversial topics

Why do clinicians keep practicing forms of therapy that lack scientific support? This edited book explores the widening gap between scientists and practitioners in the field of clinical psychology. It covers many of the most pressing controversies surrounding diagnosis, treatment methods, specific disorders, and the self-help movement. It is well written and exceptionally balanced. I recommend it highly to my clinical psychology graduate students, but I think it is also valuable for practicing clinicians and for other people who are interested in the specific topics covered, including recovered memory therapy, autism treatment, ADHD, new age therapies, multiple personality disorder (aka dissociative identity disorder), trauma treatment, herbal antidepressants, and - one of my favorite chapters - substance abuse recovery.

A Must Read for People on Both Sides

In the preface, the editors noted that this book will make a lot of people angry, especially proponents of the therapies being critiqued in this book. While this is undoubtedly true for many such proponents, I think it would be a serious mistake for such people to dismiss what is being said in this book. I am one of the top practitioners of Thought Field Therapy and found this book to be of tremendous value and feel gratitude, not anger towards its authors. Having explored many of the controversial, new therapies, I know better than anyone the pitfalls and hazards of drifting into pseudoscience and quite frankly, have repeatedly been dismayed at what I have seen in terms of a complete inability to engage in critical thinking on the part of many people involved in the endless array of "alternative" therapies. Much of the problem, I believe, comes from ignorance of the principles outlined in this book. The list of features of pseudosciences is especially helpful and should be read and carefully considered by all proponents of unconventional approaches. In this way, as Carl Sagan puts it, "deep truths can be winnowed from deep nonsense". This book should be required reading in graduate schools, as well as courses that train people in any of these controversial, new approaches and I intend to incorporate this into what I teach.

A must read

I am finishing my Ph.D. in psychology this year, and this is a definate read for anyone in the field, espececially those who are considering persuing a career in psych. This book has confimed my long-standing fears as a graduate student: That there is much non-science in the field of psych and the profession is openly hostile to those that say so, while at the same time donning the semantically garb of "scientist". The truth is there is very little science in psych these days, and it is psychology's "dirty little secret".

Well researched, balanced, and provocative

This edited volume contains chapters which provide critical analysis of a variety of important subjects in clinical psychology. Lillienfeld et al take a hard look at general issues such as diagnosis and treatment as well as specific issues including New Age treatments for psychological disorders and tests and personality measures. It also examines other subjects such as controversial interventions for ADHD, trauma and autism. The book will spark a great deal of argument and some outrage, since there are a lot of oxen and sacred cows being gored therein. But it is long past time that the yawning chasm between science and clinical practice was addressed, and this volume does an admirable job. I recommend this book to all thoughtful clinicans, as well as general readers with an interest in clinical psychology.