Synopses & Reviews
Recent advances in the scientific understanding of the human mind and brain along with the emphases on evidence-based practice and competency-based education are creating increasing pressures to update some of the traditional approaches to structuring and organizing education and practice in the field. There have also been many calls in recent years for a unified approach to conceptualizing professional practice in psychology. This book examines whether there exists a unified conceptual framework for the field that is firmly based on current scientific understanding regarding human development and functioning, that applies across all the clinical populations and practice areas within the field, and that would also help integrate professional psychology more fully into health care and the sciences generally.
- Presents a unified science-based conceptual framework for professional psychology
- Provides an overview of the whole treatment process as informed by a biopsychosocial approach, from intake through outcomes assessment
- Avoids highly technical language so that students and practitioners from across the field can follow the discussion
Review
"Melchert's book is a valuable resource for graduate students and their faculty to understand how professional psychology is transforming into a health profession, while maintaining its unique psychological identity. I highly recommend it."-James H. Bray, Ph.D., Editor of Primary Care Psychology and Handbook of Family Psychology
Table of Contents
PART I. INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1. The Need for a Unified Conceptual Framework in Professional Psychology
PART II. CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 2. Professional Psychology as a Health Care Profession
Chapter 3. The Public We Serve: Their Mental Health Needs and Sociocultural and Medical Circumstances
Chapter 4. Resolving Conceptual and Theoretical Confusion in Professional Psychology
Chapter 5. The Biopsychosocial Approach: General Systems, Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, and Complexity Theory
Chapter 6. Ethical Foundations of Professional Practice
Chapter 7. A Unified Theoretical Framework
PART III. CONCEPTUALIZING PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT FROM A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE
Chapter 8. Assessment
Chapter 9. Treatment Planning
Chapter 10. Treatment
Chapter 11. Outcomes Assessment
PART IV. ADDITIONAL IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 12. Prevention and Public Health Perspective on Mental Health
Chapter 13. Implications for Professional Psychology Education and Practice