Chapter 15Clinical Health Psychology, Neuropsychology and Forensic Psychology

INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2EHUNSLEY & LEE

PREPARED BY DR. CATHY CHOVAZ, KING’S COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

Clinical Health Psychology

Clinical Neuropsychology

Forensic Psychology

Topics

Areas of Knowledge Required for Registration as a Psychologist in Ontario

Normal Functioning Biological bases of

behaviour Cognitive affective

bases of behaviour Social bases of

behaviour Psychology of the

individual Learning Lifespan development Personality/individual

differences

Scientific Issues Research design and

methodology Statistics Psychological

measurement

Areas of Knowledge Required for Registration as a Psychologist in Ontario

Professional Issues

Ethical, legal, and professional issues

Assessment and Case Formulation

Psychopathology Psychological

assessment Psychodiagnostics

Intervention Intervention

procedures; psychotherapy

Evaluation of change

Dramatic increases in medicine and sanitation have increased life expectancy and the role of behaviors on health

Definition of disability (World Health Org: WHO-ICF, 2002): impairment, activity limitation and participation restriction

WHO uses a biopsychosocial model: underscores integrated parts of individual biology, psychology and society.

Clinical Health Psychology

Statistics Canada (2007): 4.4 million Canadians reported that they are limited by health-related problems (a 14.3% disability rate)

Clinical Health Psychologists focus on the intersection of the health, behaviour and society

In Ontario, in addition to the requirements noted earlier (exhibit 15.1 in text), additional specialized training and knowledge is required in health psychology (behavioural medicine, developmental psychology)

Clinical Health Psychology

Activities of Clinical Health Psychologists Work in all manner of settings including

community clinics, hospitals, and private practice Most work with various health problems including:

asthma, chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease etc.

Many focus on both assessment and treatment/intervention

Clinical Health Psychology

Neuropsychology is the study of brain-behaviour relationships.

Clinical neuropsychology is the assessment and remediation of problems with the CNS

Clinical neuropsychologists work with a large variety of patients including those with Alzheimer's, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, brain tumours, and Parkinson’s disease

Clinical Neuropsychology

Clinical neuropsychologists receive training in

Neuroanatomy: normal brain structure and function

Psychopharmacology: the way drugs and environmental toxins affect the brain

Neuropathology: the way injuries affect the brain

Neuropsych assessment: vast array of tests and assessments for brain function

Clinical Neuropsychology

Recent imaging techniques (e.g., MRI, fMRI) have expanded their training to these areas

Examples for neuropsych assessments Diagnosis (e.g., whether cognitive impairment is

related to depression or injury) Prognosis (e.g., how will a head injury affect long

term memory) Treatment planning (e.g., how to help someone

with a serious head injury) Legal proceedings (e.g., might this person

continue to be violent in the future?)

Clinical Neuropsychology

Canada - a Ph.D in clinical psychology and additional field training (above and beyond the requirements listed earlier– Exhibit 15.1 in text)

Testing instruments include all those covered in this class plus many other specialized tests

Assessment includes testing and other measures (just as with a typical clinical assessment)

Intervention often focuses on the areas highlighted in assessment that need remediation or rehabilitation

Clinical Neuropsychology

Forensic Psychology: The application of psychology to the legal and criminal justice system

Like many other clinical psychologists they engage in prevention, assessment, treatment and research

In Canada most receive their doctorate in clinical psychology followed by additional training in forensics (above requirements noted on p.3)

Employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practice, court clinics, penitentiaries, specialized facilities

Forensic Psychology

Some activities of forensic psychologists: Court related assessments

Assessment of witnesses Assessment of victims Assessment of the accused Assessment of disputed parties (child custody)

Assessment of offenders Treatment services for offenders Research Work on prevention programs (e.g., creating a

program to decrease bullying)

Forensic Psychology

Forensic assessment involves most all of the assessment/tests that we have discussed in this class plus those targeted to forensic populations, for example: Psychopathy Checklist-Revised Violence Risk Appraisal Guide

Intervention usually is focused on decreasing recidivism: committing crimes after release from incarceration

Forensic Psychology

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